Support the Study of the Ancient World
At the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, scholars explore the vast networks that connected cultures across Afro-Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Through research, exhibitions, excavations, digital scholarship, and public programs, ISAW reveals how ideas, technologies, and artistic traditions moved across ancient societies and shaped our shared past.
This work is made possible through the generosity of individuals, foundations, government agencies, and organizations that believe in the importance of understanding the ancient world in a global and interconnected way.
Over the years, philanthropic support has helped make possible many of ISAW’s most significant initiatives, including internationally acclaimed exhibitions, the growth of the Pleiades geographic database, archaeological excavations in Turkey and Egypt, the Leon Levy and Rostovtzeff Lectures, collaborative scholarly projects, conferences, fellowships, and publications. We are profoundly grateful to the many supporters whose generosity has strengthened the Institute and expanded its impact.
Your support sustains:
- Pioneering interdisciplinary research
- Fellowships for emerging scholars
- International exhibitions and publications
- Archaeological fieldwork and excavation projects
- Public lectures and cultural programs
- Digital humanities initiatives and open-access resources
The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World was established at New York University through a founding gift from the Leon Levy Foundation. This foundational support continues to underpin ISAW's mission, including its ability to provide full fellowships for doctoral students and to advance ambitious scholarly and public-facing initiatives.
We hope you will join the many individuals and organizations whose support helps ensure the ongoing vitality of ISAW’s work and the richness of what it can offer audiences in New York and around the world.
Join the ISAW Community
Become part of a vibrant network of supporters through Friends of ISAW, a community of donors who share an interest in the ancient world and the research taking place at the Institute.
Friends receive invitations to special programs, gatherings with scholars, preferred access to select events, and opportunities to engage more deeply with ISAW’s work throughout the year.
→ Learn more about Friends of ISAW
Make a Gift
Gifts help sustain the Institute’s core programs and allow ISAW to pursue ambitious new initiatives in research, exhibitions, fieldwork, digital scholarship, and public engagement.
Every contribution helps advance scholarship, support students and researchers, and expand public access to the ancient world.