Cast Collection of Antique Sculptures

Göttingen University's Archaeological Institute has one of the oldest cast collections belonging to a university in the world. With more than 2,000 true-to-size reproductions of antique sculptures from over 150 museums, it is still today one of the largest collections of its kind. The exhibits mainly reflect Greek and Roman culture.

The collection's beginnings can be traced back to Christian Gottlob Heyne (1729 ? 1812). Starting in 1767, the lectures he regularly held on "Ancient Studies" established archaeology as an academic discipline. For visualisation purposes, he acquired plaster casts that were displayed in the university library.

Since 1912, the collection has been located in the departmental building in Nikolausberger Weg, in a wing that was built especially for this purpose. 1,000 sculptures are displayed in 11 halls arranged by era. Several hundred heads and busts are additionally stored in cellar rooms. The collection is continually expanding. One of its focuses is the history of antique portraits and Hellenistic sculpture.

The "Göttingen Virtual Museum of Ancient Art" comprises many casts in the form of a widely arranged web-based presentation. In addition to the collection of casts, the Institute of Archaeology also houses the extensive University Coin Cabinet and a versatile collection of original archaeological art work with marble and bronze sculptures, vases, terracotta pieces and glasses, as well as - on long-term loan from the House of Hanover - the sculptures of Count Wallmoden, one of the first private antique collections in Germany, created in 1765.

Contact:
Cast Collection of Antique Sculptures
Archaeological Institute
Nikolausberger Weg 15
37073 Göttingen, Germany
Dr. Daniel Graepler
Phone +49 (0) 551 / 39-7502
Fax +49 (0)551 / 39-22062
sekretariat.archinst@phil.uni-goettingen.de

Entrance fee: 2 euros for adults, 1 euro with discount