Connected Worlds: Globalization in Focus
10.04.–24.08.2025
The exhibition “Connected Worlds” shows the extent to which so many facets of our daily lives are affected by globalization, and how this has already been the case for centuries.
Through some 30 selected objects from the museum’s own collection, visitors are invited to approach the theme of globalization from different perspectives: a pair of 20th century jeans is juxtaposed with an 18th century piece of silk satin used as an intermediate good in the manufacture of shoes. A 14th century astrolabe is contrasted with a 21st century GPS-based navigation device.
The exhibition sheds new light on these objects by presenting them against a global backdrop and placing them in the context of our daily lives:
One of the exhibition’s core themes is navigation in this world: How do we move and orient ourselves in it? What historical networks existed and what contemporary ones do we have today? How does globalization relate to consumer goods, be it food, music, or even illegal drugs? The exhibition takes an especially close look at the contrast between the everyday and the pursuit of luxury that shapes our consumer habits.
Clothes and furniture are some of the most intimate things we surround ourselves with. But what journey does a T-shirt take before we put it on? Where is the fabric made and dyed? These questions also apply to historic textiles, such as silk from the 18th century.
Before the use of money, people bartered for food and goods. Standardized currencies are seen as a key aspect of facilitating globalization. Nevertheless, collecting and bartering are still practiced, mostly as a hobby, but occasionally with considerable financial stakes.
Collections of valuable objects always reflect the status of the collector. In what context do I present myself? What do I want to say about myself? Monarchs carefully chose the company and the setting in which they were portrayed. What narratives are volunteered and which ones are hidden? What does it mean to represent oneself through the products of a foreign culture?