Classicum (1951-2008)
Between 1951 and 2008, the house was a home for the then Department of Classics, where the subjects Ancient History, Latin and Greek were studied. Also, the Classical Antique Museum was also situated here.
When the building was renovated, great importance was placed on preserving and incorporating elements from the layers of history. The hall, which used to be filled with plaster casts and copies of Greek marble statues of gods and goddesses during the Department of Classics era, is also in use, and we still call it “the Sculpture Hall”.
In 2008, some items from the Classical Antique Museum moved to the Historical Museum at Lund University and most of the statues were transferred to the museum’s premises at Gastelyckan. The Institute was delighted by the decision to allow some of the plaster statues to remain in the building, among others these include the Parthenon frieze, Kouros, Aphrodite and Artemis, the Oracle, Oinomaios, Hippodomeia and Dionysos and today these art works contribute to the distinctive atmosphere of the Institute.
Every year, students from the Department of Archeology and Ancient History visit the Pufendorf IAS to work with 3D scans of statues and premises. It is always a pleasure to welcome students ”back home” to Classicum! A news article from 2024 expresses our joy:
We have a close cooperation with Lund University Historical Museum, both when it comes to cleaning our beautiful sculptures, but also to visualise facts about each of them: Where is the original? When was the original made – and when the plaster copy – and by whom?
Lund University Historical Museum is worth a visit, not only for its Classical Antique Collection. Read more about the museum on its website:
Where history meets the present and the future | Historiska museet
