Gallery Visits for UC Berkeley Classes
Thank you for your interest in visiting the Hearst Museum’s gallery with your UC Berkeley class.
The gallery is open to the public on a limited schedule during the academic year while Museum resources are prioritized to support repatriation under NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA. We invite you to consider ways to incorporate the exhibits into your academic year courses.
Instructional visits to the gallery can be requested by following the process below. If you would like to schedule a visit to view collections with your class, please visit our Research Visits and Teaching Support page and fill out a Collections Access Request.
Please let us know about your interest in visiting as far in advance as possible. Note that as with other research and teaching visits, class visits to the gallery may need to be rescheduled, depending on the status of large-scale Native American repatriation activities, so we encourage you to consider possible backup dates.
For questions, email us at pahma-gallery@berkeley.edu. We look forward to working with you.
Current Exhibits
Four of our Faculty Curators have prepared exhibits with objects that highlight different parts of the Museum collection.
Fragments from Earth: Faculty Selections
Lisa Maher – Technology, Nature, and Humans: Archaeological Stone Implements from Around the World.
This section focuses on the ingenuity of past communities in transforming stone into various tools, construction materials, and symbolic objects used in daily life. Stone artifacts provide insight into the behaviors, relationships, and technological innovations of past societies. Exhibits showcase stone implements from different periods, highlighting the evolution of lithic technology and its cultural significance. See the objects on exhibit.
Junko Habu – Japanese Craft Objects: Porcelain, Lacquerware, and Netsuke
The exhibition displays fine examples of Japanese craftsmanship, including porcelain, lacquerware, and netsuke, dating primarily from the Edo period to the early 20th century. Porcelain production in Japan began in the 1610s, influenced by Korean potters, and evolved to meet domestic and international demand. Japanese lacquerware, refined from sap of the urushi tree, features intricate designs created using the maki-e technique. Netsuke, carved button fasteners, reflect the transition from traditional Japanese attire to Western clothing during the Meiji period. See the objects on exhibit.
Rita Lucarelli – Healing, Magic, and Protection in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian artifacts illustrate beliefs and practices related to healing, magic, and protection. Objects include amulets, stelas, tomb statues, and fragments from the Book of the Dead, reflecting the importance of ritual and religious practices in ancient Egyptian society. The exhibition explores how ancient Egyptians viewed death as a new beginning and employed magic as a creative force to influence the course of events in life and the afterlife. See the objects on exhibit.
Christine Hastorf – Andean Material Culture: Textiles, Ceramics, and Wooden Staffs
The Andean section highlights the rich material record and complex worldviews of indigenous cultures in western South America. Textile traditions showcase sophisticated techniques and depict natural and supernatural beings. Ceramic vessels from north Peruvian coastal regions feature naturalistic and supernatural motifs, reflecting nuanced beliefs and ceremonial practices. Wooden staffs, possibly used in constructing geoglyphs, represent rare and valuable artifacts from the Andean region. See the objects on exhibit.
In The Square
Encountering the Etruscans:
Shedding Light on Ancient Italy in the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum
A student-led exhibition from UC Berkeley faculty member Lisa Pieraccini’s Fall 2025 History of Art Seminar: Etruscans in the Museum: Provenance, Collecting & Curation.
Through September 25, 2026.
This exhibit complements two public exhibits – The Etruscans Uncovered at the Doe Library (closed August 28, 2026) and The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy at the San Francisco Legion of Honor (through September 20, 2026). We encourage you to visit!
Scheduling Your Class Visit
Class visits can be scheduled by UC Berkeley faculty or graduate student instructors for any UC Berkeley class on a first-come, first-served basis.
Available hours: Monday to Thursday 10:00 am–4:00 pm. The gallery can accommodate groups of up to 45 instructors and/or students.
Please use the submission form linked below to submit your request for a class time. Please expect a response within one week.
For questions, email us at pahma-gallery@berkeley.edu.
**Note: Although we will work to avoid conflicts, there is a chance that scheduling may need to change at the last minute to accommodate consultations under NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA and UC NAGPRA Policy. We will do our best to notify affected groups with as much lead time as possible.