21 College and University Museums

University campuses have no shortage of knowledge—from eclectic libraries filled to the brim with rare books and manuscripts to lecture halls and scientific labs. There are also a few not-so-obvious places that are home to ancient artifacts and historical wonders hiding in plain sight. While some are known to seasoned students, a few are more obscure and may require some university spelunking to discover. 

A small dorm room on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, is where a legendary poet once quipped his quil. The Raven Room is where Edgar Allen Poe studied for one year while attending the university. In Freiberg, Germany, a local technical college is home to one of the world’s best mineral collections. Terra Mineralia on the campus of TU Bergakademie Freiberg is home to 3,500 exhibits of mineral formations. From a collection of mammalian brains to the world’s oldest optical museum, these are 21 campus museums where you can deepen your knowledge.