Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, Lower Level
32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA , Enter at Broadway for evening programs
Free admission, but seating is limited and registration is encouraged. Register here.
We invite you to the opening conversation for the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages, on view from March 6 through August 2, 2026. Susanne Ebbinghaus, Laure Marest, Penny Coombe, and Catherine McKenna will take a close look at elaborate Celtic bronze objects and gold coins, examine religious imagery from Roman Gaul, and highlight moments of Celtic revival in modern times.
Celtic Art Across the Ages offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore masterful metalwork, including exquisitely decorated weaponry, jewelry, and horse and chariot trappings of the first millennium BCE Iron Age and early medieval times, all brought to light through archaeological discoveries of the last 200 years. See how imagery transformed under Roman rule, and trace the revival of Celtic art and identities in the modern era. From shape-shifting ancient ornaments to the more well-known Celtic iconography of medieval Ireland and Scotland, the objects in this exhibition reveal rich and complex artistic traditions that defy stereotypes of what constitutes “Celtic art.”
Following the program, guests are invited to visit the exhibition on Level 3.
Speaker:
Susanne Ebbinghaus, George M.A. Hanfmann Curator of Ancient Art and head of the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, Harvard Art Museums
Laure Marest, Damarete Associate Curator of Ancient Coins, Harvard Art Museums
Penny Coombe, Kelekian Curatorial Fellow in Ancient Art, Harvard Art Museums
Catherine McKenna, Margaret Brooks Robinson Research Professor of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
The lecture will take place in Menschel Hall, Lower Level. Doors to the hall will open for seating at 5:30pm from the Broadway entrance.
This program will be livestreamed. To tune in, click on this link at 6pm on Thursday, March 5. A recording of the livestream will be available on this page after the program.
Limited complimentary parking is available in the Broadway Garage, 7 Felton Street, Cambridge.
The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.
Support for this exhibition is provided by the Kelekian Fund; the Martha Tedeschi Exhibition Fund, made possible by the Lunder Foundation–Peter and Paula Lunder Family; the Susan B. Wood Endowment Fund; and the generosity of Susan B. Wood, Christopher C. Angell A.B. ’66, J.D. ’69, Michael Lehmann A.B. ’63, Sol Rabin M.C.P. ’60, and an anonymous donor. The exhibition catalogue was made possible by the Kelekian Fund and the Andrew W. Mellon Publication Funds. Related programming is supported by the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund.
The Harvard Art Museums welcome individuals with disabilities to participate in our programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Visitor Services at am_visitorservices@harvard.edu or 617-495-9400 in advance of your visit.