Oriental Museum Collections

The Oriental Museum is home to a huge range of artworks and archaeological artefacts from the great cultures of northern Africa and Asia. More than 36,000 objects, ranging in date from prehistory to the present day are housed in the museum’s galleries and stores.

China

The Oriental Museum’s Chinese collections include more than 10,000 objects, with particular strengths in ceramics and jade and hardstone carvings.

Egypt and Sudan

There are more than 7,000 objects in the Oriental Museum's Ancient Egyptian collections, ranging in date from the Pre-Dynastic to the Coptic periods.

Himalayas and Central Asia

The Oriental Museum’s Himalayan and Central Asian collections are dominated by the Tibetan collection, which is strongly focused on Buddhist religious material.

Tibetan thangka decorated with the figure of Garuda, the king of birds

Japan

The Japanese collections at the Oriental Museum have expanded considerably in recent years.

Articulated metal snake by Muneyoshi, 19th century

Korea

The Oriental Museum’s Korean collection is varied and highly unusual in that it includes material from both South and North Korea.

South Asia

The Oriental Museum’s South Asian collections reflect the rich and varied art and archaeology of the region.

Southeast Asia

The Southeast Asian collections at the Oriental Museum reflect the many varied cultures of this area.

West Asia

The Oriental Museum’s ancient West Asian collections include objects from some of the most important figures in early 20th century archaeology.