The first complete general inventory in the history of the Historical Museum is in the process of recording all objects that have entered the collection since the 1870s.

Its groundwork offers insights into the history of collection and exhibition practices. It reveals, for example, the development of methods of object recording from the entry book to the index card to the database - a change that has had a decisive influence on the way objects are catalogued. It also reveals the history of display practices and of the ways presentation of the collection have changed. Whereas at the end of the 19th century museums proudly displayed everything they owned in their exhibitions, today they show only 3 to 4 percent of their collections.

This change, which gives greater weight to the individual item rather than to the total collection, led to the emergence of the museum depot - the “backstage” area where our "inventis" are now focusing again on the totality of the collection.