About
The University of Peshawar Museum, formally known as the Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, is part of the university’s Department of Archaeology. Unlike a general public museum built around a historic collection, it grew directly out of teaching, fieldwork, and excavation. The Department of Archaeology was established in 1962, and the museum houses antiquities recovered by its staff and students from sites across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the wider region.
Its collection includes archaeological material that supports the study of Gandhara and other periods of regional history. Objects from excavations—such as pottery, coins, sculpture, tools, and architectural fragments—are preserved as evidence of how people lived, worked, traded, and practised religion in earlier societies. The museum also includes ethnological material, linking archaeological research to the living cultural traditions of the region.
The museum’s importance lies in its close relationship with research. Many of the objects on display are connected to university-led field projects and are studied alongside excavation reports, publications, and teaching programmes. This makes it a valuable resource for students and researchers, while also giving visitors a clearer sense of how archaeological knowledge is produced: through careful excavation, documentation, comparison, and long-term preservation.
