ANU Collections

In addition to the material held by the ANU Archives, Libraries and Drill Hall Gallery, the ANU holds over 50 specialist research, teaching and heritage collections. These collections include Australian First Nations objects and cultural material, as well as cultural material from the Asia Pacific and Africa, artworks, antiquities, a herbarium, geological and archaeological samples, biological specimens, scientific instruments, mid-century furniture and a wood library. 

When curated and discoverable, the University's collections can:
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Be reimagined and actively built upon by researchers, students, First Nations and Asia Pacific communities to allow for complex, multidisciplinary research and teaching; 

  • Promote cross-College, cross-Portfolio and cross-Institution collaboration and engagement;
  • Allow the ANU to connect to, and engage with, rich networks of researchers, alumni, donors, museums, galleries and communities around the world;
  • Present a tangible connection to the University's past - a window to explore and understand world-class research, teaching, design and innovation. 

 

Since 2015, the ANU has been actively working to strengthen its capacity to curate, manage and make discoverable its diverse collections as research & teaching infrastructure, in-line with industry best practice standards. 

Vision

To curate our collections and make them available as research and teaching infrastructure to support the academic community with complex, multidisciplinary research, teaching and learning, and to actively recognise and embed First Nations sovereignty into our collection practices.

The University is committed to truth-telling around its collections and supporting the empowerment and self-determination of communities in their leadership, protection, and management of Ancestors, cultural objects, and material. ANU Collections have partnered with the ANU First Nations Portfolio to embed the key UNDRIP Principles of self-determination, acknowledgement, respect and First Nations sovereign ownership of Country, Culture and Heritage into collection practices at ANU.  

To date, the ANU has formally recognised 21 collections:

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