The exhibition Biographies of People and Things explores the fates of non-European objects from the collections of the Bratislava City Museum and those of contemporary collectors. It examines their origins, functions, and the circumstances under which they became part of the museum’s collection. At the same time, it reflects on the degree of colonial thinking that once influenced not only collecting practices but also perceptions of the world beyond Europe.

These objects—often souvenirs from travels—once helped shape our image of other cultures. Today, we strive to read their meanings anew—with respect, critical distance, and understanding.

We are aware that the exhibition captures only a fragment—a record from the diverse mosaic of cultural exchange. Nevertheless, the research of these objects has become an important source of knowledge as well as a mirror of the interest in other cultures that existed in Bratislava in the past and continues today. This is also reflected in the contemporary layer of the exhibition, which organically follows the historical one. It consists of stories of Bratislava’s residents who form personal connections with objects from different parts of the world.

Join us on a journey to discover the stories of things and the people who live with them.

Duration: May 23, 2025 – April 16, 2026