Anthropology is characterized by a concern with the origins of and changes in biology and culture.
A uniquely holistic discipline, anthropology seeks to understand all varieties of people and to understand all aspects of people's experiences. The Anthropology Department of the Science Museum of Minnesota maintains an active research and collecting program that is central to the museum's mission. Staff members currently are involved in studies ranging from ethnographic research and collecting to archaeological fieldwork and interpretation. Projects, both local and abroad, bring department curators into collaboration with tribal communities, state and federal agencies, community groups, and other scholars and scientists. The Anthropology Department is also a teaching department with undergraduate and graduate training in archaeology, ethnology, and museology through advisor positions, curatorial internships, and museum studies courses in conjunction with the University of Minnesota, Macalester College, and Hamline University.