Plaster cast collection of the Museum of Antiquities at Leipzig University

The plaster cast collection of the Museum of Antiquities at Leipzig University today comprises around 800 casts of ancient sculptures from Greek and Roman times, making it one of the most extensive collections of its kind in Germany. The holdings were mainly built up in the 19th and early 20th centuries in connection with archaeological teaching at the university. The collection suffered considerable damage and losses during the Second World War and due to the loss of exhibition rooms when the main university building was blown up in 1968. It has been in a new location since 1999 and has been open to the public again since 2024.

The casts reproduce original works on a 1:1 scale and allow them to be viewed from all sides. This allows comparisons, reconstructions and further studies to be carried out that would not be possible on delicate originals. In addition to its function in research and teaching, the collection is also aimed at the interested public. It documents the development of archaeological training in Leipzig and at the same time illustrates key examples of ancient sculpture.