Nicholas Thomas

Nicholas Thomas is the director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. His books include The Return of Curiosity: What Museums are Good for in the 21st Century (Reaktion Books, 2016) and Gauguin and Polynesia (Head of Zeus, 2024)

Chaos into calm – the art of Taloi Havini

The Papua New Guinean won the 10th Artes Mundi prize last month, with video works and installations that eloquently embody the history and heritage of her homeland

Nicholas Thomas

9 February 2024

A sculpture given to Captain Cook returns to Tahiti

The figures brought over in 1771 are the first documented works of Oceanic art – and now on display where they were made

Nicholas Thomas

3 July 2023

What are museums really for?

The perceived role of museums in society has grown enormously in recent years – but how far does that reflect what they actually are?

Nicholas Thomas

23 September 2019

How Native Americans are reclaiming their history

This book is inevitably partial, but offers the best single account to date of repatriation claims in the US

Nicholas Thomas

29 July 2017

When do ethnographic objects become art?

An upcoming exhibition on the art of Fiji should make us rethink the relationship between culture and context

Nicholas Thomas

6 August 2016

We need ethnographic museums today – whatever you think of their history

Ethnographic collections need to be living collections, representative of cultural diversity and mindful of traditions

Nicholas Thomas

29 March 2016

First Look: Discoveries

Nicholas Thomas introduces an eclectic new exhibition, 'Discoveries' at Two Temple Place

Nicholas Thomas

29 January 2014