The Pick Museum of Anthropology at NIU

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The Pick Museum of Anthropology at NIU Inspiring activism for social justice and promoting understanding of human diversity. The museum houses over 12,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects.

The Anthropology Museum at Northern Illinois University was founded in 1964 and is operated as part of the Department of Anthropology. The Museum specializes in cultures of Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea, Africa, and Native America. In addition, the Museum holds smaller collections from Mesoamerica and South America. The Museum is particularly proud of the textile collection which contains over 700 pieces. Located in Cole Hall on NIU's campus, the Anthropology Museum is open to the public with free admission. DONATE TO THE PICK MUSEUM
Help the Pick Museum to sustain student opportunities! Every year, the Museum provides student training for the next generation of museum professionals, but we can’t do it without you! Please go to http://bit.ly/2rUpTEy and show your support!

The Pick Museum of Anthropology will be closed Saturday, September 26. We apologize for any inconvenience, but look forw...
25/09/2026

The Pick Museum of Anthropology will be closed Saturday, September 26. We apologize for any inconvenience, but look forward to welcoming you to the museum when we reopen on Tuesday, September 29, for our regularly scheduled hours.

👀 We're hiring! 🎉The Pick Museum of Anthropology is on the search for our new Curator of Collections. Applications are b...
18/09/2026

👀 We're hiring! 🎉The Pick Museum of Anthropology is on the search for our new Curator of Collections. Applications are being accepted through Oct 8. Check out the job posting on the NIU employment portal for all the details and instructions on how to apply: https://employment.niu.edu/postings/97131

Today, we are celebrating our curator of collections, Margaret Alway, as she finishes her last day of work at the Pick M...
14/08/2026

Today, we are celebrating our curator of collections, Margaret Alway, as she finishes her last day of work at the Pick Museum of Anthropology and prepares to move to Canada to pursue her PhD at the University of Manitoba. Margaret started work with the Department of Anthropology as the NAGPRA Grant Assistant and then transitioned into the Curator of Collections role at the museum once the grant funding ended. The Department and the Museum have benefitted tremendously from her time with us, and we can't say enough good things about working with her. We're going to miss her, but we are also excited for her and know she is going to make a positive change wherever she goes.

Thank you, Margaret Alway! Can't wait to hear about your grad school adventures! 🤩

Stop by the gallery today, noon to 2pm, for a study break and some snacks. We’ll be playing games, putting together puzz...
06/05/2026

Stop by the gallery today, noon to 2pm, for a study break and some snacks. We’ll be playing games, putting together puzzles, and celebrating our graduating students.

Today marks the beginning of NIU’s annual “Huskies United”, a 24-hour fundraiser to support programs throughout the univ...
01/04/2026

Today marks the beginning of NIU’s annual “Huskies United”, a 24-hour fundraiser to support programs throughout the university. The Pick Museum of Anthropology is honored to be included this year alongside many wonderful departments, centers, and programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Our goal is to expand our paid internship program and offer more opportunities for students to explore museum careers.

If you are able, please consider donating by visiting https://www.givecampus.com/schools/NorthernIllinoisUniversityFoundation/huskies-united/pages/clas/pick-museum

Thank you for your support of our students!

We're looking forward to talking with some of the students who recently worked at the Pick Museum of Anthropology during...
01/04/2026

We're looking forward to talking with some of the students who recently worked at the Pick Museum of Anthropology during tomorrow's panel on "Working in Museums."

Curious about a career in museums or wonder what goes on behind the scenes? Students will answer questions about their recent projects at the Pick Museum, how they became involved, what they learned through the process, and what they are hoping to do next.

Join us at 3 p.m., Thursday, April 2 in the museum gallery (Cole Hall 114).

🐥 Ready for a spring adventure? Visit both the NIU Art Museum and the The Pick Museum of Anthropology at NIU to play our...
24/03/2026

🐥 Ready for a spring adventure?

Visit both the NIU Art Museum and the The Pick Museum of Anthropology at NIU to play our Quack-lection game!

Here’s how it works:
➡️ Stop by each museum during open hours (7 minutes walking distance from each other)
➡️ Pick up a mystery duckie blind bag at both locations
➡️ See which tiny collectible ducks you get – every bag is a surprise!

Each blind bag includes two mystery mini ducks – no peeking until you open it!
Free and open to the public. Available while supplies last – so don’t wait!
Make a day of it, explore both museums, and start your duckie collection.

Sponsored by the NIU Center for Burma Studies

Address

IL

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 16:00
Thursday 10:00 - 16:00
Friday 10:00 - 16:00
Saturday 10:00 - 16:00

Telephone

+18157532011

Website

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