Seminar: Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History: A Gateway to Pacific Anthropology

Event Details

Date:

Thursday, 01 August 2013

Time:

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Room:

Anthropology Museum Gallery

Location:

Chancellor`s Place

UQ Location:

Michie Building (St Lucia)

URL:

Event category(s):

Full Description:: Although completely removed from Oceania, the Field Museum's Pacific Anthropology Department has established itself as a prominent research unit. This presentation discusses how Chicago became and continues to be an important mecca for anthropology and a gateway for research in the Pacific. Topics include:

• Events and influences from the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893;

• Research and curation conducted by noted anthropologists such as George Dorsey, Franz Boas, F.C. Cole, A.B. Lewis, Alexander Spoehr, Roland Force, Fred Reinman and John Terrell;

• A brief overview of 90,000 Pacific objects acquired thorough expedition, purchase and gifts; and

• The Pacific Anthropology at the Field Museum webpage (www.pacificanthropology.org) which digitally presents its collections, researchers, projects, findings, and stories.

The presentation will also highlight the Dorsey Collection displayed in the Anthropology Museum's current exhibition Musical Landscapes of Lihir and will conclude by discussing why museum anthropology is important to both researchers and the public.