Millington-Barnard Collection of Scientific Instruments
Approximately 500 19th century scientific instruments, used by John Millington and Frederick A.P. Barnard to teach university students from 1848 to 1861, are preserved in the University Museum’s collections. Included are telescopes, models of large machines, and demonstration devices for the teaching of natural philosophy, physics, and astronomy.
David M. Robinson Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities
The David M. Robinson Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities is one of the finest university collections of its kind in the United States. Covering the period from 1500 B.C. to 300 A.D., the collection contains Greek and Roman sculpture, Greek decorated pottery, architectural fragments, small artifacts in terracotta and bronze, and Greek and Roman coins. Portions of this collection are on display at all times.
The Seymour Lawrence Collection of American Art
In 1998, editor and publisher Seymour Lawrence gave much of his personal art collection to the museum and funded the construction of the Seymour Lawrence Gallery of American Art. Included in this collection are works by Georgia O’Keefe, Kurt Vonnegut, Man Ray, Russell Chatham, Morris Graves, Marsden Hartley, Mark Tobey, John Marin, Arthur G. Dove, among others.
Theora Hamblett Collection
Paintings by Mississippian Theora Hamblett are the core of the Museum’s folk art collection. In over 200 works of art, Miss Hamblett recorded her childhood memories, religious visions, and the joys and sorrows of a vanished way of life. Selections from this collection are on exhibition at all times.
The Mary Buie and Kate Skipwith Collections
Mary Buie, a talented artist, bequeathed the funds to build her museum as a gift to the city of Oxford, Mississippi. Her sister Kate Skipwith oversaw the building construction. In 1939, the Mary Buie Museum opened with a collection of art and historic memorabilia collected by them.