Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, a department of the University of Cambridge, curates a one-million-artefact collection spanning two million years, serves students, researchers, school groups, and the public, and operates a global online collections database.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1884
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology does
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA), a department of the University of Cambridge founded prior to 1883, preserves and exhibits archaeological and anthropological collections spanning two million years of human history with approximately one million physical artefacts. Its central technical asset is a public-facing digital collections database (collections.maa.cam.ac.uk) containing over 175,000 object records, 165,000+ photograph records, and 3,800+ archival document records, of which a portion include digital images and which exposes Creative Commons-licensed downloads and account-based research-visit and loan workflows.
Programming spans undergraduate practicals at the Keyser Workroom (backed by 2,000+ teaching objects), MPhil and PhD supervision in Archaeology and Anthropology, schools programmes for Key Stages 1-5 with a focus on African collections and museum ethics, and active research projects including Pacific arrows documentation, Caribbean pre-Columbian archaeology, and inclusive narratives around colonialism. A Digital Lab supports in-house digital humanities research, and a rotating exhibitions programme — including 'People & Stuff', 'Enotie Ogbebor: From Eden to Ecocide', and 'Pacific Currents' — refreshes the public-facing content alongside contemporary art installations.
The museum is a non-profit academic institution; entry is free. Direct revenue derives from an on-site shop selling Fair Trade and ethically sourced merchandise, paid venue hire for events, Friends membership, financial and object donations, and research grants. Operational and capital costs are underwritten by the University of Cambridge. The museum has no external shareholders, no venture funding, and no disclosed financials at the unit level; governance sits within the wider Cambridge academic and trustee structure, including a formal repatriation ('Returns') policy framework.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Legal name
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge
- Website
- https://maa.cam.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1884
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, a department of the University of Cambridge, curates a one-million-artefact collection spanning two million years, serves students, researchers, school groups, and the public, and operates a global online collections database.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Museum and Cultural Heritage Services
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro industry
- History MuseumsArt Museums
Keywords
Where Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Free museum entry |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) is a university museum that preserves, researches, and exhibits over one million artefacts spanning two million years of human history. It offers free public access to galleries, a searchable online collections database with over 175,000 object records, rotating exhibitions, educational programmes for schools and University of Cambridge students, research services, a museum shop, and venue hire.
Product overview
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) at the University of Cambridge operates primarily as an institution rather than a commercial product company. Its core offering is the MAA Online Collections Database, a searchable digital catalogue housing over 175,000 object records, 165,000 photograph records, and 3,800 document records. Supporting services include the Centre for Material Culture (off-site store with tours), a rotating Exhibitions and Events Programme, Educational Programmes for Cambridge students (undergraduate practicals, MPhil, and PhD supervision), Schools Programmes for Key Stages 1-5, Research Services through the Digital Lab, and ancillary offerings including Venue Hire and a Museum Shop.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MAA Online Collections Database A searchable online catalogue containing over 175,000 object records, over 165,000 photograph records, and over 3,800 archival document records, with digital images for a portion of items. Users can register for accounts to save searches, create item lists, request research visits and loans, and download images under Creative Commons licensing.
- Centre for Material Culture An off-site storage facility for the museum's collections, accessible through tours, supporting the conservation and study of materials not currently on display.
- Exhibitions and Events Programme Rotating exhibitions and events including 'People & Stuff: A Subversive Collaboration', 'Enotie Ogbebor: From Eden to Ecocide', 'Pacific Currents', 'Moving Objects: stories from behind the scenes', and other time-limited displays exploring archaeology and anthropology themes.
- Educational Programmes for Cambridge Students Teaching and research programmes for Cambridge University students including undergraduate practicals in the Keyser Workroom, MPhil supervision in Archaeology and Heritage Studies, and PhD research opportunities. Teaching Collections of over 2,000 objects support hands-on learning.
- Schools Programmes Educational resources and visits for schools covering Key Stages 1-5, with resources focusing on African Collections including Kingdom of Benin, Kingdom of Oyo and Dahomey, and museum ethics.
- Research Services Research support including Digital Lab projects, research grants, research visits, and enquiries. Projects include documenting Pacific arrows, Caribbean archaeology, and inclusive narratives for pre-Columbian collections.
- Venue Hire Rental of museum spaces for events, subject to group visit booking requirements.
- Museum Shop Retail shop offering Fair Trade or ethically sourced gifts, jewellery, scarves, toys, ornaments, and books.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free public entry to collections
Companies that use Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tropenmuseum: Amsterdam museum of world cultures with extensive ethnographic and anthropological collections and a research/education remit. Comparable in collection type (world cultures/anthropology) and educational programming focus.
- National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico City): Mexico's flagship anthropology museum with major archaeological and ethnographic collections and a strong research function. Directly comparable in disciplinary focus (anthropology + archaeology) and academic-museum positioning.
- Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History: Yale University museum combining anthropology, archaeology, and natural history with significant research and teaching programming. Comparable Ivy-league university-museum model with similar audience and educational mission.
- Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology): US university archaeology and anthropology museum with comparable global collections and educational programming. Closest international peer given the same disciplinary scope (archaeology + anthropology) and university-museum structure.
- Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac: Parisian national museum focused on non-European arts and civilisations, with strong anthropology and archaeology collections. Comparable academic/research-led anthropology museum with international scholarly audience.
- Fitzwilliam Museum: The University of Cambridge's principal museum of art and antiquities, sharing the same parent institution, audience, and free-entry model. Direct peer for Cambridge visitor mindshare, school programming, and donor pools.
- Pitt Rivers Museum: General anthropology and archaeology museum at the University of Oxford, holding similarly broad ethnographic and archaeological collections with free entry. Direct UK academic-museum peer with overlapping curatorial scope and audience.
Broad incumbents
- British Museum: UK national museum holding the world's premier archaeology and anthropology collections. Much larger and broader in scope, but overlaps directly on collection disciplines, repatriation debates, and audience.
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Major US national museum with vast anthropology and archaeology holdings, research institutes, and educational programming. Comparable at the research and collections scale, with significant overlap on anthropology curatorial work.
- Ashmolean Museum: University of Oxford's museum of art and archaeology with major archaeological and anthropological holdings. Larger and more art-focused, but directly comparable as a UK university museum with free entry and overlapping collections.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology social profiles
Digital presenceMuseum of Archaeology and Anthropology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
What does Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology do?
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) is a university museum that preserves, researches, and exhibits over one million artefacts spanning two million years of human history. It offers free public access to galleries, a searchable online collections database with over 175,000 object records, rotating exhibitions, educational programmes for schools and University of Cambridge students, research services, a museum shop, and venue hire.
Is Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology a public or private company?
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology founded?
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology was founded in 1884. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology based?
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tropenmuseum, National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico City), Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Penn Museum (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology), Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Fitzwilliam Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum. Broad incumbents are British Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and Ashmolean Museum.
Does Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
What industry is Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in?
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology's product category is Museum and Cultural Heritage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAB, History Museums, with a secondary code of THAJADAA, Art Museums. Its NAICS code is 712110.