CURRENT EXHIBIT

COLLECTORS OF CURIOSITIES: THE HISTORY OF THE WUNDERKAMMER

What do 200 year old Fijian war clubs, etched glass cups from the World’s Fair of 1893, 19th century wooden water pipes from Bristol, and a collection of sand from beaches all over the world have in common? 

They are all in the BH&PS collections! 

OPEN W, TH & F FROM 1 TO 5 PM

A Wunderkammer, or "cabinet of curiosities," was a collection of unusual, rare, and sometimes bizarre objects typically amassed by wealthy individuals or scholars during the 16th to 18th centuries. These collections often included artifacts from the natural world, exotic items from far-off places, anatomical specimens, rare minerals, artworks, and antiquities. 

Wunderkammers served both as a reflection of the collector's interests and an attempt to make sense of the world through the lens of wonder and discovery.

In the spirit of the Wunderkammer, the BH&PS is opening its own "cabinet" to share our most interesting, curious and diverse objects from our collections including  200-year-old Fijian war clubs, etched glass cups from the World’s Fair of 1893, 19th century wooden water pipes from Bristol, and a collection of sand from beaches all over the world. 

The exhibit displays what drives humans to collect and what the consequences of collecting might be. How were these collections begun and how did they metamorphose into our modern museums all over the world? 

Discover information from interesting collectors right here in Bristol, learn more about Rhode Island Day at that World’s Fair of 1893, and see for yourself just how the collections at the BH&PS itself serve as a very special cabinet of Bristol history.  

Lastly, be inspired to learn how to make your own Wunderkammer collection, and be sure to check our calendar as we begin to announce our line-up of special events coming in 2025 surrounding this fabulous exhibit.