Welcome to the Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

News

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

As part of Simon Fraser University's 50th Anniversary celebrations, the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology was proud to engage in a major renewal in our gallery. Throughout the Fall 2015 semester, students from Arch 348 - Archaeological Conservation, along with our research associates put together a number of new exhibits that are still popular today.

NEW EXHIBIT: HAIDA ARGILLITE CARVINGS

This exhibit was anonymously gifted to the MAE in 2011. Haida argillite carving is a complex art form rich in symbolism, family ties, and cultural history. With eighty-one items from a variety of Haida artists, this collection serves as a well-deserved spotlight on the beauty and intricacies of Haida argillite carvings. If you are interested, make sure to check out this virtual exhibit.

Plains Regalia

For SFU's 50th anniversary in 2015, Tiinesha Begaye and Hilary Pennock created an exhibit of this magnificent Plains beaded costume. Hilary and Tiinesha cleaned the costume, repaired the beading, modified a mannequin to conservation standards, mounted the costume on the mannequin and wrote the interpretive text for the large display. A big project, well done!

HISTORIC GLASS

Glass can be a misunderstood aspect of historical archaeology. Often noted as junk (which, to be fair, at time of disposal it usually was), archaeologists can still utilize all types of glass such as bottle, jewelry, window, etc., to tell us more about the medicine, beverages, food, and glass-making methods of the past. If you are interested, make sure to stop by and take a peek at this exhibit.

Notice: Our virtual exhibits "A Journey into Time Immemorial: Virtual Museum of Canada," "Hola Canada: The Latin American Collections," and "Investigating Forensics: Virtual Museum of Canada" are no longer available. 

Hours of Operation

The Museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm.

Health and Safety Protocols

While we are not checking patrons' vaccination status at this time, please wear a mask when visiting the Museum and maintain appropriate social distancing when in the gallery.

Location

NE Corner of the AQ
Saywell Atrium, off Saywell Hall
8888 University Dr.
Burnaby, BC  V5A 1S6

Contact Us

museum@sfu.ca

What's New?

  • Haida Argillite Carving

    This exhibit was anonymously gifted to the MAE in 2011. Haida argillite carving is a complex art form rich in symbolism, family ties, and cultural history. With eighty-one items from a variety of Haida artists, this collection serves as a well-deserved spotlight on the beauty and intricacies of Haida argillite carvings. If you are interested, make sure to check out this virtual exhibit. read more

  • Naamboi and Photogrammetry

    The Naamboi "jars,” were donated to the SFU Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by Dr. Richard Shutler Jr. in 1985. He excavated in the South Pacific in the 1950s and 1960s, including the island of Malekula, in the Vanuatu archipelago, northeast of Australia. These jars came from an abandoned mountain village near the west coast of Malekula. 

     read more

  • Beyond the Mask

    BEYOND THE MASK: THE FLUIDITY OF THE WEST AFRICAN EXPERIENCE

     read more

  • Waters Rising

    WATERS RISING: THE BEGINNINGS OF AN EXPEDITION OF SALVAGE ARCHAEOLOGY

     read more