In addition to its extensive object collection, the Museum of Anthropology also houses a valuable collection of archival material. MOA’s Archives is part of the Audrey and Harry Hawthorn Library and Archives, a research facility within the Museum that is open to anyone to use. The Archives hold one-of-a-kind primary sources that document the history of the Museum, its collections and its exhibits, as well as the records of important individuals from outside MOA, including anthropologists, artists, linguists and authors. Material in the Archives dates back to the 1700s through to the present day, and includes a wide range of materials: textual records, architectural drawings, glass-plate negatives and digital files, just to name a few.
Here’s a small taste of the material available in our archival collection. Visit our online catalogue anytime to learn more about these items and to explore the rest of the material available in the MOA Archives.
Letter from Dalai Lama, 1922 from the Eric Parker fonds
Eric Parker was a British military commander with the Indian government who served in Tibet in the 1920s. MOA Archives holds correspondence and photographs from his years in Tibet, including this letter from the Dalai Lama to Parker, in which he expresses his approval of Parker’s training of Tibetan soldiers.
MOA Archives: 4-01-01.