Good Collecting – Bad Collecting: Exploring Museum Collections and Ethics at the Natural History Museum Vienna

This special exhibition commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Natural History Museum Vienna by exploring the history and growth of its vast collections. It examines the evolution from Emperor Franz Stephan's original collection to the museum's current status as a significant natural science archive, while also critically addressing the ethical dimensions and 'dark sides' of collecting.

Marking 150 years since its establishment by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1876, the Natural History Museum Vienna presents 'Good Collecting – Bad Collecting'. This special exhibition traces the journey of the museum's collections, which have grown exponentially from Emperor Franz Stephan of Lorraine's initial acquisition of 30,000 objects around 1750 to its current status as one of the world's foremost natural science archives, housing over 30 million items. The exhibition delves into the multifaceted history of how the NHM Vienna's collections expanded over more than 270 years. It aims to answer how the 'original collection' transformed into a unique archive documenting the Earth's origin and life's diversity. Simultaneously, the exhibition offers a critical perspective, acknowledging that the boundless enthusiasm for collecting, discovering, and researching also harbored less positive aspects, prompting visitors to consider the ethical implications behind the accumulation of these invaluable natural science objects.

This is a special exhibition in the cabinets and special exhibition halls on the 1st floor. Visitors can find ticketing information via the provided 'Ticket Shop' link.