About the institution

The Pitt Rivers Museum was founded in 1884 when Lt.-General Pitt Rivers, an influential figure in the development of archaeology and evolutionary anthropology, gave his collection to the University. His two conditions were that a museum was built to house it and that someone should be appointed to lecture in anthropology.

The Museum displays archaeological and ethnographic objects from all parts of the world. The General’s founding gift contained more than 18,000 objects but there are now over half a million. Many were donated by early anthropologists and explorers. The extensive photographic and sound archives contain early records of great importance. Today the Museum is an active teaching department of the University of Oxford. It also continues to collect through donations, bequests, special purchases and through its students, in the course of their fieldwork.

Visit the Pitt Rivers Museum on the web at http://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/.

Pitt Rivers Museum on the RRN

The RRN contains 304 items from the Pitt Rivers Museum. Items from the Pitt Rivers Museum have been available on the RRN since launch. Since then, their items have been viewed on the RRN 722,094 times. Data from the Pitt Rivers Museum was last updated March 17, 2024.

Feedback and Questions

The Pitt Rivers Museum has not provided any contact information. Please see their website for contact info.