Past

Archaeology Zone: Discovering Treasures from Playgrounds to Palaces

Oct. 1, 2007 – Nov. 30, 2019

This interactive exhibition reveals to children what happens after archaeologists unearth artifacts, and bring them back to their labs for in-depth analysis. Children take on the role of archaeologists as they search for clues about objects dating from ancient times to the present day.

Archaeology Zone: Discovering Treasures from Playgrounds to Palaces is inspired by the Museum’s renowned collection of extraordinary art and artifacts. Children are invited to discover the world of archaeology through a fascinating in-depth study of art and artifacts from ancient times to the present day. They can explore the methods employed by archaeologists after an excavation occurs, specifically, how they analyze the objects that have been unearthed. The exhibition illuminates how the analysis of artifacts teaches us about the development of art and cultures over time, while establishing connections to objects and ideas in our daily lives.

Assuming the role of the archaeologist, children embark on an exciting adventure where they encounter unusual objects and determine how and why they were made. Children piece together two larger-than-life vessels, examine replicas through weighing and magnifying, interpret symbols in a colorful mosaic, create works of art inspired by unique objects in the Museum’s collection, dress in costumes from long ago, and much more. This exhibition also includes an introductory video, original artifacts, and colorful illustrations that will provide a visual context for how objects were used and preserved over time.

Archaeology Zone is funded through a generous grant from the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc. Additional support was provided by COTRONICS CORPORATION - Eleanore E. and Barry D. Reznik.

A young boy dressed as an archaeologist holds a magnifying glass and an artifact while wearing white gloves and a wide-brimmed straw hat. He stands in front of a painted desert landscape backdrop.

Exhibition highlights

  • What Ever Happened to King Hezekiah’s Jar?

    What Ever Happened to King Hezekiah’s Jar?

  • A young girl with a green bow in her hair kneels in a simulated dig site, using a small tool to brush sand off an object. Various ceramic pieces and a bowl are scattered nearby, with a desert mural in the background.

  • A young boy crouches in a simulated dig site, using a brush to sweep sand off a buried object. Fragmented artifacts lie nearby, with a desert-themed mural in the background.