Collection of Casts and Classical Antiquities

The Antikenmuseum (Museum of Antiquities) at Heidelberg University was founded as an archaeological collection for teaching purposes in 1848 and has been continuously expanded ever since. Today it is located high above Heidelberg's old town, on the top (4th) floor of the building at Marstallhof 4. Its collection of over 8000 objects provides a broad overview of the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean region from the 3rd century BC to the Roman Empire. The focus lies on small finds: mainly painted Greek and Etruscan vases, Roman vessels, and objects made of stone, bronze, glass and bone such as figures, reliefs, architectural elements, jewellery and everyday objects from Greece, Italy, Cyprus and the Near East. Due to the general renovation of the building, the Museum of Antiquities is currently only open for events during the semester or can be visited on request.

The Collection of Casts and Classical Antiquities on the ground floor of the building is currently closed due to renovation work. It is one of the largest collections of plaster casts at German universities and has been used as an important teaching aid in archaeology studies since the 19th century. The casts show the development of Greek sculpture from its beginnings to the Roman Empire. The originals of the statues and reliefs, which are made of marble or bronze, can be found in many important museums around the world.

The two collections were created as teaching aids and are now also aimed at interested members of the public. During the semesters, our public Sunday lectures give insights into archaeological research. On Wednesday evenings, selected archaeological objects are taken from their showcases and can be viewed up close.

In the course of the building renovation, the collections will be reconceived and presented together on the ground floor of the Kollegiengebäude. Until then, use of and visits to the collection will be limited.