Connecting you with your place in world history

The Macquarie University History Museum brings together the collections formerly housed in the University's Australian History Museum and Museum of Ancient Cultures.

With 18,000 objects, the museum has become a key resource for history education and research both locally and internationally. We warmly invite you to visit, whether in person or virtually.

Ancient history

The ancient history collections are among Macquarie's oldest. Established just ten years after the University was founded, they began as the ancient history teaching collection, underpinning a source-based approach to learning. The museum soon became home to two of the largest collections of their kind in the southern hemisphere:

  • the papyrus collection, with over 600 manuscripts
  • the ancient glass collection, with over 260 artefacts.

Other collection highlights include artefacts from Egypt, Greece, Rome, Israel and Cyprus. On loan, we have:

  • ancient coins owned by the Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies
  • one of the most prolific collections of artefacts from Old Nubia east of Egypt.

Australian History

The Australian History collection began life as a document research centre, and developed into a more object-based assemblage with the support of then-Vice Chancellor Di Yerbury. It was officially opened as the Australian History Museum on 20 May 1998.

In addition to artefacts for display, material is acquired for its value to teaching and researching Australia's history from pre-colonisation through to the present.

The collection focuses on six key themes:

  • Indigenous Australia
  • immigration
  • war and society
  • women's studies
  • social history (with a focus on domestic and working life)
  • cultural heritage.

Publications

The Museum’s first two publications are available now through the MacShop.

100 Treasures / 100 Emotions is the essential introduction to the collection. Former Museum Director Professor Martin Bommas coordinates short essays on each of the 100 selected objects by over 50 Macquarie University authors.

East meets West accompanies the exhibition of the same name, on display until September 2022. Both book and exhibition address the intersection of western and eastern culture and civilization in the Eastern Mediterranean during the period of the Crusades, from the eleventh to the late thirteenth century.