The exhibition “Traces” presents a selection of objects that enriched the museum collections over a five-year period through donations, acquisitions, and ethnographic field research conducted by the museum’s curators. Between 2020 and 2024, the Museum acquired a total of 914 objects, of which 548 were donated and 354 were acquired through purchase.
Over its 125-year history, the museum’s story has been shaped not only by objects, but also by the people who preserved and studied them and entrusted them to the Museum. For this reason, donors hold a special place in the exhibition. Their decision to donate a part of their family heritage to the Museum, as well as the trust they have placed in the institution, is of exceptional importance for preserving and transmitting cultural heritage to future generations.
At the same time, the exhibition reveals the complex process of museum collecting – from identifying and researching objects, communicating with their owners and documenting them, to professional processing, conservation, and their eventual placement in the museum collections.
Through selected objects and the stories that accompany them, “Traces” bears witness to the Museum’s ongoing efforts to enrich its collections and preserve diverse forms of material culture.
With this exhibition, the Ethnographic Museum extends its special thanks to all donors whose gifts and trust over the years have contributed to enriching the museum collections.
