Museum of World Cultures: Highlights from the UNC-Wilmington Collection

Museum of World Cultures exhibit title graphic

The Lam Museum of Anthropology is honored to present this selection of objects from the former Museum of World Cultures at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Founded in 1981 by Dr. Gerald H. Shinn, the Museum of World Cultures supported students, faculty, and its local community for four decades. Its collection was loaned out to classrooms and exhibit galleries, allowing visitors to see artworks and cultural traditions they could not otherwise access. Dr. Shinn and his enthusiastic board members acquired the objects in the collection from art dealers, antique shops, and from the private collections of North Carolinians. At its peak, the museum held over 2000 objects, representing over 100 cultures that span continents and centuries.

Though the museum itself closed, its legacy continues. In 2023, the Lam Museum partnered with UNC-Wilmington to acquire a portion of the collection. As stewards, we will continue to conserve these special objects and ensure that they continue to make meaningful connections between North Carolina and the world. This exhibition celebrates the vision of its founders and showcases the richness of human experience through these objects. It features a selection of ethnographic, historical, and archaeological objects from around the world representing the legacy of the Museum of World Cultures.

This exhibit was curated by the staff of the Lam Museum with support from Alexandria Dove-Ali, Nick Beckom (’26), and the students of Dr. Andrew Gurstelle’s Fall 2025 Introduction to Museum Studies course. The Lam Museum is grateful to Nathan Saunders, Rebecca Baugnon, and the staff of the UNC-Wilmington Randall Library for facilitating the MOWC collection’s acquisition. Funding for the exhibition was provided by the Lam Museum Members.