Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology is a teaching collection at Brown University in Providence holding approximately one million objects from around the world. The holdings range from Native American materials and Arctic items to African objects and pieces from Pacific cultures.

The collection was founded in 1928 by Rudolf F. Haffenreffer Jr., initially focused on Native American objects. The Haffenreffer family donated the entire collection to Brown University in 1954.

The museum works with Indigenous communities worldwide, giving them a voice in how their objects are displayed and interpreted. These partnerships shape the stories told and influence which perspectives visitors encounter.

The museum is relocating to Providence in fall 2025, moving from its previous location in Bristol to a site more accessible to visitors. The new location will be closer to the city center and easier to reach by public transportation.

The Herbert Spinden Photographic Archive documents Central American archaeology through extensive visual records of excavation sites and artifacts. This rare collection offers insights into archaeological work from an earlier era and shows how documentation methods have evolved over time.

Location: Providence

Inception: 1955

GPS coordinates: 41.82647,-71.40404

Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:43