Commonwealth Lecture Program

The Commonwealth Lecture Program's mission is to make the resources of the Museum available throughout the public library system of the State of Pennsylvania. Anthropologists and archaeologists offer talks on a variety of subjects for library audiences, both children and adults. 

Libraries that sponsor an event must make it public and free of charge. Libraries are responsible for a $100 coordination fee for each lecture. Lectures that are sponsored by any other organization will be funded by that organization in full, e.g. the fee of the speaker and travel expenses. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania funds the Outreach Lecture Program of the Penn Museum.

Book a Program
Speakers are available to present on the following topics:

• Africa
• North American Historical Archaeology
• Asia
• Central and South America
• Children's Programs
• The Classical World
• Egypt
• Europe
• General Archaeology and Anthropology
• Human Origins
• Native Americans
• Near East

Contact us at least one month in advance of the date(s) you would like to schedule a lecture. Please note it is important to allow plenty of lead time for publicity. The Outreach Coordinator will require a minimum of two weeks to confirm a program.

Please request each lecture by title and speaker. In case your first choice is not available, please indicate an alternate date and speaker. Every effort will be made to respond promptly to your requests.

View a full list of Commonwealth Lecture Program Topics

Responsibilities of the Museum
Contact the speaker to schedule time, date, and location of the lecture. Confirm the time and date of lecture in writing to host institution. Provide a photograph of the speaker for publicity. Provide an honorarium to the lecturer and reimburse his or her travel expenses.

Responsibilities of the host organization
All lectures must be open to the general public for free. Provide space and publicity for the lecture. All publicity must acknowledge the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the sole funding source, as well as the sponsorship of The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Provide the Museum with copies of publicity and attendance figures after the event. Libraries are responsible for a $100 coordination fee for each lecture. We appreciate thank you notes that can be included in our annual report to the legislature.

Contact
Prema Deshmukh Program Manager
(215) 898-4065

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