This October, the Peabody held an open house for the Phillips Academy community. The event gave students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to explore the Peabody’s newly renovated spaces and celebrate the completion of the Peabody Building Project.
Planning for the building renovation began over a decade ago, with an initial focus on inventory and rehousing collections to prepare for the actual renovation. Phase 1 began early in 2023, with milestones in spring and near completion in December 2023. Phase 2 commenced in January 2026, with a goal of improving climate, accessibility, safety, and functionality.
For highlights of the renovated building, check out this cool video created by the Phillips Academy communications team – Peabody Renovation Highlights
Thank you to everyone who supported the Peabody during the building renovation work. We are grateful for all you have done. We did it!
This series is a dedicated spotlight designed to share Peabody highlights and recognize and celebrate the exceptional work, unique achievements, and dedication of our Peabody team members.
The Indigenous Collection Care Guide & Upcoming Webinars
The ICC Guide is officially a hit! Marla and the ICC team have been spreading the word with lots of webinars and conference presentations. Follow this link if you want to learn more about the ICC Guide, how it was created, and how it can impact museum practice:
Peabody & PA Representation at the Boston Women’s 10K Race
The Peabody’s Emma Lavoie joined several staff colleagues representing Phillips Academy in the 50th running of the Boston Women’s 10K Race this month. The event saw over 7,000 participants! Thank you to the PA Head of School’s office for supporting this opportunity.
Inman Painting in the Addison’s America in the Making Exhibition
Make sure you visit the Addison Gallery of American Art’s exhibition America in the Making (September 8, 2026-January 31, 2027). The show marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and includes an extraordinary array of “greatest hits” from the Addison’s permanent collection. Be on the lookout for Henry Inman’s painting of Skidi Pawnee chief Petelesharo, on loan from the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology. Petelesharo is one of three Inman portraits held by the Peabody Institute.
Contributed by Katie Lincoln, Andover Summer Session Archaeologist
If you were to ask an archaeologist what the hardest part of the job is, you might expect them to answer with something physically demanding, like digging holes or spending late nights cleaning and classifying artifacts.
For many archaeologists, however, the hardest part of our jobs is translating tiny fragments of material culture into stories about people from the past – and finding ourselves in those stories along the way.
For example, how can one small ceramic fragment say something about those who made and used it? What can the presence or absence of certain objects change how we think about people? How do we know that our conclusions are correct and culturally sensitive?
Phillips Academy Summer Session students grappled with these questions as they embarked on their own archaeological dig this past July. Tasked with excavating a Revolutionary War-era mansion belonging to Phillips Academy’s founder, Samuel Phillips Jr., students took on the responsibility of collecting artifact data and interpreting it – both in their final written assignments and in their final exhibition. At every step, they were asked not just to identify what they found, but to imagine the students, staff, and community members who came before them and left these things behind.
Katie Lincoln close-looking at excavated objects with students
Over the course of their four-week-long excavation on Phillips Academy’s West Quad, students uncovered a wide variety of artifacts. As part of an assignment new to the Dig This! course this year, students were asked to use an artifact to make a broad interpretation about past life in Andover, at Phillips Academy, or at the Mansion House – and, in doing so, to draw a line between their own experience as students and the experience of the students whose lives they were piecing back together.
Their presentations exceeded expectations, revealing just how closely these summer session students came to identify with nineteenth and twentieth century Andover residents.
Example of a student assignment
Pencil ends and early twentieth-century print type, for instance, became evidence of a shared reality: students worked hard, even in their dorms, whether in 1926 or 2026. Looking at the worn-down pencils, our students recognized their own late nights in someone else’s.
A ceramic sherd with “HILL” transfer-printed on it told a similar story. Interpreted as nineteenth-century refined earthenware, likely part of a mug decorated with the Phillips Academy school seal, it was paired with a Worcestershire sauce bottle cap and various other glass artifacts. Students read this cluster of objects as evidence of meals shared at the Mansion House when it functioned as an inn and tavern – and imagined nineteenth-century Phillips students gathered there with friends and neighbors. Students identified that this experience was not so different from how they themselves might share a meal at Paresky Commons after a long day.
Overall, this summer’s excavation was a success. Students learned and mastered archaeological field methods including site mapping, artifact identification, and field paperwork. Most importantly, however, students learned how to use artifacts to speak to past peoples and experiences. More than that, they learned how to pull apart historical narratives and find themselves inside them – recognizing a fellow student’s hard work, worry, and routine across a gap of one or two hundred years.
We thank the students of the 2026 Mansion House Field Crew, and we look forward to incorporating more interpretive analysis in future iterations of the Dig This! Course.
The Peabody’s annual report for fiscal year 2026 is LIVE!
This year marks an extraordinary milestone in our history as we proudly celebrate our 125th anniversary. For more than a century, the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology has inspired student interest, fostered appreciation for Native American cultures, and supported archaeological research. This landmark anniversary offers us the opportunity to look back with gratitude on our history, while looking forward to a vibrant future.
Fiscal Year 2026 has been a historic chapter of transformation, most notably distinguished by the successful completion of the Peabody building project and renovations. This major undertaking has revitalized our physical spaces, blending our historic architectural legacy with modern, accessible, and innovative facilities designed to serve student generations to come. From enhanced programming spaces to upgraded infrastructure, these improvements ensure that our physical home matches the excellence of the services and experiences we deliver every day.
None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication of our staff, generosity of our donors, and the steadfast support of volunteers and community partners. You can read our full report HERE!
Contributed by Emma Lavoie (and Friends of the Peabody)
Ahhh summer! Whether you’re on the beach, enjoying a hike or walk through nature, taking a drive with the windows down, or a staycation in your backyard – nothing beats a day in the sun.
And there isn’t a better companion for your summer adventures than music! From nostalgic tracks to newest releases, the Peabody shares its “Songs of Summer” playlist to keep your summer vibes going. Enjoy our playlist here!
“This is one of my two favorite songs from my favorite band that stirs up ample memories of fun times and fun drives with family and friends. With fast and upbeat guitar riffs and classic Jim Morrison “whoos,” there is no better song to play too loudly with the car windows (or better yet drop top) down and the wind in your hair.”
– Donny Slater, PA Faculty & Peabody Board of Advisors Member
“Great Big Sea was the sound of my college years and is forever tied to fun, friendship, adventure, and a good time. Thelive versionis a MUST and I strongly recommend seeking out the live version for all their music.”
“Every time I hear it, I’m instantly reminded of summers growing up in Rhode Island. It was always playing while we were camping, out on the boat, or spending the day at the beach. It brings back all those carefree summer memories and never fails to put me in a good mood.”
– Danielle Akin, PA Capital Project Manager (Peabody Building Renovation)
“I’ve been wearing my Love and Rockets t-shirt a lot this summer and getting a ton of reactions from strangers in the street. None of them seems to notice, though, that my t-shirt is of the comic book, not the British rock band.”
“Full of expansive, 80’s inspired new wave soundscapes, this album takes me back to a time when summer stretched out forever and was full of possibilities. It’s a perfect complement to any trip with open roads and breathtaking landscapes.”
– John Bergman-McCool, Peabody Collections Coordinator
“New release just in time for the summer by one of my favorite bands. I’d describe this brotherly rock group as ‘new generation Led Zeppelin’ with classic bluesy riff-rock and Plant-esque vocal delivery. Whether you’re on the beach or out for a drive, this song represents restless energy, a sense of youth chaos, and the beautiful nature of seizing a moment.”
This month our Peabody Curator of Collections, Marla Taylor, was featured in Phillips Academy’s “Employee Spotlight” section of the campus community Gazette – a weekly internal newsletter for Phillips Academy faculty and staff.
Each week, a member of the PA campus community is nominated and selected to share details about their role and work. We are excited to see one of our Peabody staff members highlighted and are grateful for all the support Marla has contributed in the 18+ years she has been with the Peabody and Phillips Academy.
Check out the article below and congratulations to Marla for being featured!
We had a successful PA Giving Day last week! Special thanks to all those who participated in supporting the Peabody and contributing to our match challenge, generously shared by a pair of Peabody donors.
PA Giving Day represents a critical milestone in our fundraising efforts for the Peabody. Last year we raised 77% of the Peabody’s total annual support from 65 donors in just one day, achieving our match goal in the process and engaging new PA alumni and friends of the Peabody during PA’s collective day of giving.
This year our goal was to exceed last year’s success by leveraging this collective day of giving to achieve even more in honor of our year of critical Peabody milestones and to celebrate the Peabody’s 125th anniversary.
The final dollar figures and donor counts for the Peabody are not in yet, but the overall day raised over $1.6 million from more than 1,850 donors towards Andover academics, financial aid, the arts, athletics, and outreach programs.
We are just over a month away from celebrating the founding anniversary of the Peabody Institute of Archaeology (originally known as the Department of Archaeology) at Phillips Academy Andover. This year marks a special milestone for the Peabody, being our 125th Anniversary, that’s quasquicentennial if you’re fancy!
This blog celebrates the founding history of the Peabody as captured by Phillips Academy’s student newspaper, The Phillipian, and acts as a “save the date” for more ways to celebrate with the Peabody throughout the year.
Department of Archaeology, 1906.
On Thursday, March 21, 1901, the Trustees of Phillips Academy established the Department of Archaeology at a meeting held in Boston. An anonymous donor and friend of the Academy, “provided a foundation sufficient for the erection of a suitable building, an endowment for instruction, research, and publication, together with a large collection.”
The inaugural officers of the Department of Archaeology were Dr. Cecil F.P. Bancroft (Principal of Phillips Academy), Charles Peabody (first Peabody Director), and Warren K. Moorehead (first Peabody Curator and Chief Executive Officer of the Archaeology Department).
In later years, the anonymous donor was recognized as Phillips Academy alumnus, Robert S. Peabody (Class of 1857), the namesake of our institution. Peabody’s passion for archaeology led him to create the archaeology program to encourage young students’ interest in archaeological sciences and to foster respect and appreciation for Native American culture. In addition, the institution would support archaeological research and serve as a place for students of Phillips Academy to gather.
The original name of the Peabody is still present above the building’s front entrance.
At the time (1901), this was the largest single gift to the Academy and included Peabody’s collection of nearly 40,000 items. It was not only rare but quite unusual for a preparatory school to have its own department of archaeology with international connections and a major collection.
The new archaeology department was officially dedicated on Wednesday, May 1, 1901. Warren K. Moorehead spoke at a campus chapel meeting describing upcoming construction for the department and that a new building would be located on the corner of Phillips and Main Streets, where the current institute resides today. “The collection is now in Philadelphia and will be brought here [Phillips Academy] within the next two weeks and placed in the old gymnasium until the new building is finished.” Students from the Archaeology class would meet in the old gymnasium (located in the Brick Academy – the gym incarnation of Bulfinch Hall) on Monday and Thursday afternoons to help Mr. Peabody and Mr. Moorehead unpack the collection. The class met there for weeks while the new building was under construction, the laboratory-style work giving a unique replacement to the typical lectures students attended in their daily classes.
Students unpack Robert S. Peabody’s collections in the school gymnasium, circa 1901. Lantern slide, from the photographic collections, Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology.
In the image above, students are unpacking from the very wooden drawers the Peabody used as housing for the collection, before it was replaced by more sustainable storage material in Phase 1 of the Peabody’s building project in 2023. If you look closely, you’ll see Mr. Moorehead standing in the background overseeing his students’ work!
The first lecture in Archaeology was given by Charles Peabody on October 14, 1901. Lectures were shared between Peabody and Warren K. Moorehead, most taking place in other buildings on campus such as the science building while the Department of Archaeology was under construction. In addition, Moorehead would take students participating in the archaeology class to various sites in the area – examining shell heaps in Ipswich, MA and an Indigenous village site along the Merrimack River near Lawrence, MA.
It is fascinating to see the parallels between current Peabody events and this moment in time – as of January 2026, the Peabody staff have moved out of the Peabody building to a temporary space across campus while the final Phase 2 of the Peabody’s building project begins. In addition, classes with the Peabody are (at present) being taught across other locations on campus during the building’s construction. With our Peabody Director, Ryan Wheeler, even teaching his Human Origins course in the science building as we saw Mr. Peabody and Mr. Moorehead doing about 125 years before!
By October 30, 1901, bids for the new Archaeological building were in and construction was to begin soon after. Guy Lowell was chosen to design the building – the Peabody being his first architectural commission for Phillips Academy. Guy Lowell would later design other buildings on campus such as the Isham Infirmary (1913), Memorial Bell Tower (1922), and Samuel Phillips Hall (1924). Lowell also played a part in the development of the campus “Vista”, the reorganization of the Great Quadrangle, and renovations to Bulfinch Hall (1902). The Boston architect was most renowned for his design of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and New York State Supreme Court Building.
“The main entrance is in the center, opening into a spacious hall wherein the largest specimens in the collection can be shown. On one side of this hall is to be a big exhibition room, with an alcove, and on the opposite side is a similar hall, behind which are the custodian’s office and private apartments, and a cataloguing room.
The building is two stories. The second floor is given over to a room, on one side of the main hall, to be used for lectures and entertainment, with a large platform provided for these purposes. This hall will seat 175 or 200 students. On the other side of the main hall is a large library and reading room and lounging place, with a stack room, which will make it possible to care for 15,000 volumes. The windows on the lower floor are arched at the top, while those of the second are what architects term square headed.
The basement of the building is commodious, but will not be finished at once, although the plan is to have eventually an assembly room, a grill room, various committee rooms for the athletic departments, offices for The Phillipian and Mirror, and possibly a small cooperative store for the benefit of the students.”
For more details about some of the Peabody’s earlier building features, check out my previous blogs here and here!
Peabody Building Plans, 1902
As the new building construction began to reach completion, the Peabody collections were growing from various donations across the country. The archaeology department staff stored the collection in various parts of campus such as the old gymnasium (Bulfinch Hall), the new gymnasium (Borden Gym), and the Administration building (which alone, stored about 30 different collections, totaling to about 4,000 items.)
By early February of 1903, the Peabody collection was officially moved into the new building. Briggs & Allyn, a company in Lawrence, MA built fifteen large museum exhibit cases modeled after the Peabody Harvard Museum to display some of the collections.
The Peabody during the Byers and Johnson era (1936 – 1968)
I did appreciate the Peabody staff’s honesty at the time expressing the difficulties of balancing the move into the building with their academic responsibilities, mentioning “it has been difficult for the officials of the department to conduct class work properly, and for students to understand the course, since all the specimens have been inaccessible… all will welcome the installation of the collections in their proper quarters.”
The formal opening of the new Department of Archaeology building was held on Saturday, March 28, 1903. The opening was celebrated with a reception including performances by the Mandolin and Banjo clubs as well as several speakers from the Academy and Archaeological field. Out of the various addresses by members of the Academy, two stood out – one, from Dr. Robert R. Bishop (on behalf of the Trustees of the Academy) who most gratefully accepted the gift of the new building on behalf of the Trustees, regretting only that “on account of the modesty of the donor, he was not permitted to make known their name.” This being the very donor that we now honor as the namesake of our institution.
Second, from Vice-Principal A.E. Stearns (on behalf of the Faculty of the Academy) who mentions a very significant fact – “that one hundred and twenty-five years ago the first class that ever graduated from Phillips Academy, met for its exercises on the very spot where the new archaeology building now stands.” I find these words timely as the Peabody looks forward to celebrating 125 years in that same spot next month.
In commemoration of our 125th the Peabody will be celebrating all year with upcoming activities, events, special communications, virtual opportunities to connect with our institution, and ways to support the Peabody and our future projects. There is so much more to come that we cannot wait to share with you! Stay tuned and follow us on our socials so you don’t miss out on the festivities!
Our Peabody annual report for academic year 2024-2025 has just been released online! This report features educational participation at the Peabody, including over 1,600 students and 30 Phillips Academy instructors. In addition, our report features institutional highlights, updates on our collections and NAGPRA work, collaborations with students and researchers, and more!
Thank you to everyone who supported the completion of another wonderful year at the Peabody!
Peabody staff always get excited when we unearth hidden stories from the Peabody Institute’s past. The Phillipian Archives is one such place that has held many a story. First printed in 1857, The Phillipian is a weekly student newspaper that continues today at Phillips Academy Andover. The student paper describes itself as “completely uncensored and entirely student-run,” offering a snapshot of what campus life is like both past and present, and in the case of this blog, some of the most outrageous and bizarre activities related to the Peabody.
As promised, we hope you enjoy PART 2!
Peabody Card Catalog and Reading Room
In 1903, a reading room with library was opened on the second floor of the Peabody, furnished with easy-back chairs, a large center table, writing tables, and a few large lounging chairs. There was a list of rules included in this Phillipian article for students using the reading room:
Observe suitable quiet
That others may not be disturbed while reading
Not to cut, tear or in any way deface the periodicals
To remove hats and caps while in the room
By 1904, a Phillipian article stated the reading room as “well filled nearly every hour…the attendance averages about three hundred a day or nearly the entire school.”
Image from the Peabody Archives of the old reading room.
From the same vantage point – the current Peabody Library. Note: the original card catalog system now covers the original fireplace.
In 1904, work began on an index card catalog for the Peabody Institute’s library. This catalog would be similar to the Library of Congress plan which was being used at the time in the Seminary Library (but the catalog ended up being Dewey Decimal, arrgh!) This index card catalog is still occasionally used today at the Peabody Institute, though the entire library is catalogued in the North of Boston Library Exchange.
The original card catalog is still in use at the Peabody today!
Rumor Has It (Dinosaurs in the Chapel and Turtle Racing)
There had been rumors of turtle racing in the Peabody basement and other areas on campus. Mention of one turtle (named Alec) being kidnapped in a 1935 article may prove these rumors as true! Don’t worry, Alec was returned safe and sound.
In a “This Andover” column of The Phillipian in 1941, the Archaeology Department (now the Peabody Institute) was supposedly spreading rumors that several prehistoric dinosaurs live in the Cochran Chapel organ pipes.
“It is they [the dinosaurs], the rumor goes on having it, that furnish Dr. Pfatteicher’s lowest notes during Sunday services.”
Flute Recitals by the Peabody Director
On several occasions, Peabody Director, Dr. Charles Peabody performed flute recitals for students in the Academy chapel. On January 20th in 1915, Peabody was joined by Dr. Carl F. Pfatteicher, who played the organ. Pfatteicher was the director of music at the time, a post he held until 1947. During his time at Phillips Academy, he facilitated choir, glee club, and a small orchestra. Many of these groups met and practiced in the Archaeology Building or Peabody House. I think it’s safe to say that Dr. Charles Peabody and Dr. Carl Pfatteicher were good friends. The music played at this recital were the following:
Sonata in C Major – Mozart
Tres Lent from Sonata in G Major – Guillaume Lekeu
Barcarolle – Harold Nasan
Invocation – Eugene Lacroix
Fun Fact: Dr. Carl F. Pfatteicher was asked to help select the bells to be placed in the newly constructed Memorial Bell Tower on campus. He enjoyed giving regular carillon concerts, playing the bells sometimes at dawn. Many students did not appreciate this and one year managed to lock Dr. Pfatteicher in the tower.
Memorial Bell Tower, Phillips Academy Andover Completed in 1922 by architect Guy Lowell (the same architect of the Peabody building!)
“A Place for Students to Gather” – Clubs Find a Home at the Peabody
The Peabody was founded with three goals in mind – to educate students about the world of archaeology, to promote archaeological research, and to be a place for students to gather. As part of this vision, students and student clubs have been utilizing the Archaeology Building since its inception in 1903. Below are just a few examples of student club communications in The Phillipian related to the Peabody.
Class of 1910 in front of the Department of Archaeology (later known as the Peabody Institute of Archaeology.)
An advertisement in a 1904 column mentions organizing a student Rifle Club at the Archaeology Building and reporting to the office of Peabody Curator, Mr. Moorehead for those interested in shooting practice.
Courtesy of The Phillipian archives.
Fun Fact: The Sub-Target Rifle Machine and similar target practice devices were popular in the early part of the 20th century. They recorded information about marksmanship, position of the gun, etc. without firing live rounds.
In 1904, a dark room was provided for the Camera Club, located in the basement of the Peabody. The Phillipian stated the space “is thoroughly equipped and is as fine as can be found in New England.” Before Phase 1 of the Peabody Project began, much of the original dark room space was still intact. One of my personal favorite details was the original carved signatures still on the wall left by past Camera Club students.
Original dark room at the Peabody before the recent building renewal project.
Student signatures on the wall of the dark room at the Peabody. Note – that’s not 2009, it’s 1909!
Mandolin and Banjo Club were some of the music clubs that met in the Archaeology Building for auditions, meetings, and practices. Glee Club was another student organization that commonly gathered at the Peabody and communications for this club are seen throughout the decades of The Phillipian.
I love seeing such a close connection between the Peabody and the Music Department, especially now that we’re neighbors with the new Music building, Falls Hall!
Glee Club communication in 1910.
As we’ve seen above, many campus Arts organizations spent time at the Peabody. The Dramatic Club would meet to discuss scripts for upcoming plays and hold individual trials for those looking to participate in performances.
Dramatic Club communication from 1912.
Other clubs such as Chess, Astronomy, Spanish, Philo Congress, Bible Class, Foreign Missions, Yale Club, Harvard Club, Stamp Club, Nature Club, Forum, and Mirror all met at the Peabody throughout the first half of the 1900s. Even The Phillipian and football team held gatherings at one point. By the 1950s we see the Peabody becoming more active in exhibitions and many of these clubs move to other locations on campus, many finding a home at the Peabody House behind the Archaeology Building.
“…where his spirit still lives.”
Jumping ahead to 2011, a Phillipianarticle features Halloween traditions and campus lore passed down over the decades of PA’s history. The Peabody is mentioned to experience “frequent slamming doors, moving items and eerie noises that creak through the attic floors.” The strange activities convinced Peabody staff that the building was haunted by Warren K. Moorehead (1866-1939). Moorehead was the first curator at the Peabody from 1901 to 1924 and became the Peabody’s second director from 1924 to 1938.
The Peabody has many interesting stories of these experiences over the years. One story mentioned in The Phillipian, depicts a foreman being locked in the back stairwell. I can personally share that my first Reunion Weekend with the Peabody I experienced an alum being locked in one of our bathrooms during an event (the locks were on the inside of the door…) I considered this my “welcome” initiation from Moorehead, as the newest member to the Peabody team.
Over the years, our director has written notes to Moorehead to communicate our intentions and care of the building along with updates of upcoming changes such as our building renewal project. These notes are stored behind a plaque commemorating Moorehead, located by the front doors of the building. Much of the activity has quieted since writing these notes.
