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Explore Global Cultures

Discover North Carolina’s only museum dedicated to the study of global cultures. Explore stories of humanity, from ancient archaeological sites to the celebrations and struggles of today. Learn about people from around the world through their everyday objects, ceremonial artifacts, and visual arts.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00am to 4:30pm. Admission is free.

Featured Exhibits

Exhibit gallery

Home
Through April 14, 2025

east Asian textiles on exhibit

Poems Made to Wear: Traditional Colors in East Asia
Through August 16, 2025

See All Exhibits

Upcoming Events

Chinese dance at sunset

Celebrate East Asia Open House

April 12, 1-4pm

Closed for Easter Weekend

April 18 & 19

Fragments of Changsha Exhibit Opens

April 29

Recent News Stories

Internships Benefit Students and MuseumJanuary 24, 2025
Bring Them Home / Aiskótáhkapiyaaya Film Screening to Celebrate Indigenous Peoples DayOctober 7, 2024
The Lam on LoanSeptember 9, 2024

See All News Stories

Explore the Collection with the Artifact of the Month

Roman Tear BottleMarch 3, 2025
Bamana Door LockFebruary 3, 2025
Chinese Silk SheetJanuary 9, 2025

See All Artifact of the Month

Find a Craft Activity with Cultures Up Close

See All Cultures Up Close

Stay in Touch

Receive updates on exhibits and events from the Lam Museum

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Mar 17

Bright kelly green may be everywhere you look today, but did you know that in East Asian cultures, blue and green are not always distinguished from each other? Swipe to learn more. You can learn all about the meanings of different colors in China and Japan through our exhibit "Poems Made to Wear."

#lammuseum #green #StPatricksDay #wakethearts

Mar 14

Save the date and join us as we celebrate the cultures of China, Korea, and Japan on Saturday, April 12, from 1-4pm!

#lammuseum #wakethearts #china #korea #japan

Mar 12

The Museum has a part in two different events taking place next Wednesday evening. Swupe to see both. We hope one of them will pique your interest!

#lammuseum #wakethearts

Mar 7

Spring break starts this weekend, but don't worry, we'll be open our regular hours all of next week - Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm. We have a new photo exhibit you can see in our staff hallway featuring research from a team at UNC-Charlotte. "Photos of a Moving Self: How Gender Shifted During the Pandemic" will be on display through April 5.

#lammuseum #gender #exhibit #free #wsnc #thingstodoinwsnc

Mar 4

We hope to see you tonight! The lecture will be followed by a fundraiser for the Folmar Foundation, which promotes health and livelihood in marginalized communities in Nepal. Nepalese food will be available for $12 a plate.

#lammuseum #holi #nepal #hindu #hinduism

Mar 3

Our March #ArtifactOfTheMonth is a Roman tear bottle on exhibit in "Museum of World Cultures: Highlights from the UNC-Wilmington Collection." Learn more about it, particularly why it is not actually a tear bottle, below.

Small glass bottles like this one are often referred to as tear bottles but are more properly known as unguentaria. They are found in ancient Roman and Greek tombs in large quantities. Many people believe the romantic notion that these bottles were used to hold the tears of mourners and then buried along with the deceased. However, there is no evidence that this is true.

Using chemical analysis, scientists discovered that these bottles contained perfumes and unguents, which were used to anoint the recently deceased. Expensive fragrant plants like frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon were infused in oils and applied to the body or the cloths wrapping it. Similar aromatic resins were also laid out alongside the body to mask the odor of decay between the death and the funeral. Then they were cast onto the funeral pyre along with the body or added to the tomb with other offerings. These practices both indicated the high social status of the deceased and helped in the spirit’s transition to the afterlife.

Bottles of this variety date back to the rapid growth of the #Roman glass industry during the early first century CE. The green coloration present in this bottle was likely made by adding iron to the molten glass during the blowing process. There is also a spot of iridescence present on the bottom of the bottle. This effect was most likely not intentional. Iridescence in glass from this period usually appears as the result of chemical decomposition due to the glass’s contact with the damp and acidic soils surrounding it in its archaeological context.

Curation for this post was completed by Nick Beckom ('26).

#lammuseum #archaeology #classicalarchaeology #ancientrome

Feb 26

We are very excited that Dr. Akshay Gupta, Wake Forest's Assistant Chaplain for Hindu Life and Religious Engagement will speak at the Museum next week about the Hindu celebration of Holi!

The lecture will be followed by a fundraiser for the Folmar Foundation, which promotes health and livelihood in marginalized communities in the Lamjung district of Nepal. Nepalese food by Curry and Noodle including Momo, Gobi Manchuria, Butter Chicken Masala, Rice, and Gulab Jamun, will be sold for $12 a plate.

#lammuseum #Hindu #Hinduism #Holi

Feb 24

We hope to see you tonight!

#lammuseum #archaeology #wakethearts #blackhistorymonth

Feb 21

Attention WFU students - We're hiring for the summer! Check out our stories for more info.

#lammuseum #summerjob

Feb 19

The Museum will be closed today, Wednesday, February 19, due to winter weather. We will provide additional updates about our reopening as they are available.

Feb 18

Out of an abundance of caution regarding the lasting effects of tomorrow's forecasted winter weather, we have postponed Dr. Brock's lecture to next Monday, February 24, at 6:00pm. We hope to see you there!

#lammuseum #blackhistory #archaeology

Feb 18

59 objects, 40 cultures, 27 countries, thousands of years. "Museum of World Cultures: Highlights from the UNC-Wilmington Collection" is now open!

#lammuseum #wakethearts #anthropology #worldculture #thingstodoinwsnc #free

Feb 12

We're putting the final touches on our latest exhibit! "Museum of World Cultures: Highlights from the UNC-Wilmington Collection" opens next Tuesday with showpieces from this recently-acquired collection spanning cultures, continents, and centuries.

#lammuseum #wakethearts #anthropology

Feb 10

Mark your calendar for next week's lecture! We're excited to host Dr. Terry Brock at the Museum to talk about his archaeological research at James Madison's Montpelier. Check the link in our bio for full details.

#lammuseum #archaeology #blackhistory

Feb 3

It's time for our February #ArtifactOfTheMonth! This early 20th century Bamana door lock is likely from the area surrounding Bamako, the capital of #Mali, in the southwest part of the country. Traditionally, door locks like this one were used to protect houses and granaries. The lock mechanism works with metal pins that drop into holes in the sliding bolt when correctly aligned. The figurative locks are attached to undecorated house doors with iron fasteners. #Bamana men of the blacksmith/sculptor class, who inherit their position in society, carve the door locks from the wood of the toro tree and fit them with the necessary iron pieces.

This type of door lock provides both physical security and spiritual protection from supernatural forces, particularly for women and children at home. Bamana door locks can take many forms with the central figure representing totemic animals, ancestor figures, or other mythological subjects to protect the inhabitants. On this lock, the central female figure symbolizes Komo, a guardian spirit believed to hear every sound, as shown by her long ears. This figure also connects to the powerful Komo secret society, which promotes the general wellbeing of the community and protects it from harm. Additional symbolism can be found in the perpendicular bolts, which are shaped like crocodiles, representing vigilance and strength.

This door lock is on display in our exhibit "Home" through April 12, 2025.

#lammuseum #wakethearts

Jan 29

Welcome to the Year of the Snake! 🐍 Learn about how the Lunar New Year is celebrated in China with our Teacher's Guide via the link in our bio.

#lammuseum #lunarnewyear #chinesenewyear #yearofthesnake

Jan 24

Tomorrow is the last day to see our pair of African exhibits, "All the King's Men: Status and Power in Africa" and "Beyond Drumming: African Musical Instruments," before they close. Don't miss your chance to see these fabulous African objects!

#lammuseum #AfricanArt #wsnc #free

Jan 22

We have a new exhibit! Curated by first year WFU students, "Home" explores the many ways in which the concept of "home" is constructed across cultures. The exhibit will be on display through April 12.

#lammuseum #wakethearts #thingstodoinwsnc #wsnc

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