Museums & Collections

Discover treasures from Harvard’s museums and special collections, from ancient artifacts to modern art.

A worm-like creature known as the "velvet worm" rears as if looking at the camera

Creepy Crawlies and Sticky Murder Weapons at Harvard

In the shadows of Singapore’s forests, an ancient predator lies in wait—the velvet worm.

by Olivia Farrar

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

by Lydialyle Gibson

A lively concert in a modern auditorium with an audience seated on multiple levels.

Concerts and Carols at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tuning into one of Boston's best chamber music halls 

by Nell Porter-Brown

Three models showcase distinct fashions: a floral black gown, a blue top with a floral yellow skirt, and a green dress.

The Peabody Essex Museum Spotlights Designer Andrew Gn

Landmark exhibition on global fashion 

by Nell Porter-Brown

A whimsical illustration of a man balancing on a rooftop edge, wearing a suit and glasses.

The Artist Edward Gorey—and Pets—at Harvard

Winter exhibits at Houghton Library   

by Nell Porter-Brown

Two women in traditional Japanese clothing sitting on a wooden platform near a tranquil pond, surrounded by autumn foliage.

Japan As It Never Will Be Again

Harvard’s Stillman collection showcases glimpses of the Meiji era. 

by Lydialyle Gibson

A drawing of a young boy reading by lamplight.

What of the Humble Pencil?

Review: At the Harvard Art Museums’ new exhibit, drawing takes center stage

by Olivia Farrar

Nineteenth-century prison ruins with brick guardhouse surrounded by forest.

This Connecticut Mine Was Once a Prison

The underground Old New-Gate Prison quickly became “a school for crime.”

by Nell Porter-Brown

Two women in traditional kimonos, one lighting a cigarette, in a scene from Apart from You.

Harvard Film Archive Spotlights Japanese Director Mikio Naruse

A retrospective of the filmmaker’s works, from Floating Clouds to Flowing

by Nell Porter-Brown

Two people moving large abstract painting with blue V-shaped design in museum courtyard.

A Harvard Art Museums Painting Gets a Bath

Water and sunlight help restore a modern American classic.

by Max J. Krupnick

Room filled with furniture made from tightly rolled newspaper sheets.

A Paper House in Massachusetts

The 1920s Rockport cottage reflects resourceful ingenuity.

by Nell Porter-Brown