Chittagong University Museum

Chittagong University Museum

Established	14 June 1973
Location	University of Chittagong, Hathajari, Chittagram, Bangladesh
Type	University museum
Director	Bhuiyan Iqbal
Website	www.cum.org.bd

Chittagong University Museum is the only academic museum in Bangladesh. It is located on the University of Chittagong campus in Hathazari Upazila of Chittagong District. The aim of providing assistance to students and researchers in education and research activities on human history, art and culture; collection, preservation, and display of artefacts of archaeology, history and ancient art; and creating opportunities for basic research on these subjects. It is the only art museum in Chittagong and is considered the only museum among public universities in the country.

The current collection of the museum is around a hundred, which includes prehistoric and archaeological sculptures, folk art, various collections of Islamic and contemporary art and modern art of Bangladesh. There are wood fossils; various artefacts excavated from the archaeological sites of Mainamati, Mahasthan and Paharpur; ancient and medieval coins, inscriptions, manuscripts, sculptures, terracotta, weapons and firearms, clothing, metal artefacts, porcelain and other minor folk artefacts. A fish fossil of the tertiary period obtained from the Nasirabad hills of the Chittagong metropolis is considered the oldest specimen of this museum. Historical documents of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra; the archives of this museum have notable liberation war posters, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, various publications and administrative documents collected from different countries including Bangladesh.

The museum was established in 1973 at the initiative of Chittagong University authorities to provide facilities for research materials as an educational museum. The museum is also managed to stimulate public interest and to encourage appreciation of the history, archaeology and art heritage of Bangladesh.