The museum is only open to Harvard faculty, students, and staff but take a tour online!

Click here to view a short instructional video about how to use this virtual tour.

A New Name for the Harvard Semitic Museum

The Harvard Semitic Museum will now be known as the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East (HMANE). The new name is designed to be more inclusive and accurately reflect the diversity of the museum’s collection.

Founded in 1889, the museum was conceived as a teaching tool to study the ancient histories and cultures of people who spoke Semitic languages, among them Israelites, Moabites, Arabs, Babylonians, and Phoenicians.

The museum’s focus remains on the wide variety of diverse peoples living in the eastern Mediterranean region, parts of modern-day Iraq, and even of north Africa, including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Philistines.

Read an interview with director Peter Der Manuelian for a full explanation of the name change.

Watch for the continuing transition to Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East in the museum’s online presence and public outreach.

How to use the Virtual Tour

How to take a Virtual Tour at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

Reopening

The Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East will open for limited in-person visitation solely for Harvard faculty, students, and staff with a valid Harvard ID starting September 1, 2021. Guests of Harvard ID holders are not allowed at this time. Harvard Faculty who wish to schedule a class visit may contact the HMANE Reservations Department. We are working with Harvard University on a phased reopening and look forward to sharing details for public access soon. Sign up for our enews to receive the latest updates. As we prepare to reopen our doors, we encourage you to enjoy the museum at home with new digital content, including virtual programs, tours, podcasts, and coloring pages on HMSC Connects! We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the museums soon!

Hours: Monday through Friday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Directions

By Train

1. Take a MBTA Red Line to Harvard Square Station

2. Take a Massachusetts Avenue exit

3. Walk diagonally through Harvard Yard to

4. Continue walking through the Plaza

5. Turn right on Kirkland St

6. Turn left onto Divinity Ave

By Bus

1. Take the 86 Bus to Kirkland St

2. Turn right on Kirkland St

3. Take the first left onto Divinity Ave

By Car

From Harvard Square

1. Head East on Massachusetts Ave

2. Make a slight right onto Cambridge St

3. Make a slight left to stay on Cambridge St

4. Turn left onto Quincy St

5. Turn right onto Kirkland St

6. Take your first left onto Divinity Avenue

HMSC Connects!

From Stone to Silicon: Technologies for Scholarship

3D Models

Peg Figurine by Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East on Sketchfab

The museum has created 3D models of some choice objects from its collections. This peg-shaped, stone figurine would have been placed in the foundation of an important structure as it was being built. You can view more of our models here.