The Oriental Institute

Located on the campus of the University of Chicago, The OI is a research organization and museum devoted to the study of the ancient Middle East. Founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted, the Institute is an internationally recognized pioneer in the archaeology, philology, and history of early Near Eastern civilizations.

Join us on the OI YouTube channel as we bring the cutting edge of scholarship from both OI and world academics into your home. Explore our shared past with a showcase of the history, art, and archaeology of ancient Egypt, Nubia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, Megiddo, and more.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, our monthly lecture series will stream live on YouTube the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. (CST), with the exception of November which will stream on Tuesday, November 16. We do not have a lecture scheduled for January. Each lecture will be posted on our YouTube channel within 24 hours after the stream so that you can watch at your leisure.