Saron Demung [grandmother] Idiophone; metallophone with tiger lion head Gamelan musical instrument [Gamelon] Wood, Oil Paints, Mirror, Bronze, Synthetic Sponge, Plastic Tubing, Cotton

Asian Anthropology

The Field Museum has a long history of research in Southeast and East Asia. It started with the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition, which highlighted the richness of Asian cultures. Dedicated curators such as renowned sinologist Berthold Laufer (1874–1934) were responsible for many of the items that make up the collections from China. Today, Curator Gary Feinman continues this important tradition by directing a collaborative research project in China that explores the emergence of early complex societies in the Shandong region.

Use of Collections

Some items in the Field Museum collections are available to loan for exhibition, research, or education in support of our mission: fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, celebrating cultures, and championing science.

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Philippines Curation Portal

The Field Museum is home to over 10,000 objects from the Philippines. We invite you to browse the objects in the Philippine collection, share your knowledge about their origins, materials, use, or meaning, and engage in conversation with other experts dedicated to understanding the cultural diversity of the Philippines. Your voice can enrich the descriptions of these objects.

Explore the Philippines collections