48
Installation views of the
exhibition Korridor des
Staunens: Schaudepot
(Galleries of Marvel: Open
Storage) at the Weltmuseum
in Vienna.
© KHM-Museumsverband.
Storage and More ...
VIENNA—Like the Museum der Kulturen in Basel, the
Weltmuseum is also presenting a show on its reserve
collection. In this case, the museum is emphasizing that
only one and a half percent of its nearly 200,000 objects
are on display, a ratio that is comparable to that of
many other institutions. In order to address this situation,
a new space was inaugurated in January of 2019 that
accommodates 800 additional objects which are shown
much as they would be seen in storage. As such, there
are no accompanying explanations, no attempts are
made to create an aesthetic presentation, and the objects
are not necessarily presented in the organized or
chronological order one would expect in an exhibition
context. Installed in this unsystematic manner, the objects
yield a new aspect of their meaning, inviting viewers
to consider both the ways in which they were produced
and the work performed by museum staff who prepare
them for display.