Provenance research is now part of a museum's duties. It often involves injustice and restitution, but always involves stories that accompany an object and have remained hidden until now.
For a long time, the objects in museums were primarily representatives of our culture from days long past. In order to pass on a well-documented and, ideally, unencumbered collection to future generations, their history must be illuminated. The HMB is taking on this challenge and is gradually researching its collection holdings.
Until now, only a few of the HMB's collection items have been examined in depth. This is set to change. Tracing the provenance – i.e. the origin – of an object makes a valuable contribution to its historical context. Provenance research tells us more about the history of an object and its previous owners. It enables us to trace an object's path into the museum collection.
The Basel-Stadt Cultural Policy Statement (2020–2025) calls on the five state-run museums to establish provenance research at their institutions.
In May 2023, the Grosser Rat followed the report of the Education and Culture Commission on the recommendation concerning ‘Framework expenditure authorisation for active provenance research in the cantonal museums of Basel-Stadt for the years 2023 to 2026/29’ and thus allocated a substantial amount for provenance research. This clearly underlines the relevance of this field of research.
In 2023, the HMB began establishing provenance research at the museum and disseminating the newly acquired findings. We are committed to communicating transparently and openly about the status of our research and its results. When dealing with objects with a problematic history, we are guided by the ICOM Code of Ethics and the Washington Declaration (1998) and its follow-up declarations (Vilnius, Terezín, Washington 2024).
We classify an object as ‘problematic’ if our provenance research reveals evidence that it was unlawfully seized or sold under political pressure. This may involve loss due to Nazi persecution, for example, but objects from colonial contexts, looted goods from recent crisis areas or objects from illegal trade must also be critically examined. When dealing with objects with a problematic history, we follow the ICOM Code of Ethics and the Washington Declaration (1998) and subsequent declarations (Vilnius, Terezín, Washington 2024).
2025 – 2026
Access to the museum's own archives is crucial for provenance research. The project will catalogue two fundamental sets of files covering the years 1933 to 1960. In addition, the collection database will be expanded to include an archive module that can be linked to other systems.
2024 – 2025
This basic research project will map the heterogeneous collection of the HMB. In order to understand the individual requirements of porcelain, furniture and silverware, a wide range of experience must be gathered. This will serve as a basis for developing standards and guidelines.
2023–2024 (completed)
The HMB was the first museum in Switzerland to research the provenance of objects in its musical instrument collection, focusing on the period between 1933 and 1945. The project attracted international interest.
The HMB regularly hosts exciting events on the topic of provenance research. You can find the events in the > programme.
Provenance research
Management & administration
PO box | Steinenberg 4
CH-4001 Basel
Office opening hours
8:30 – 12 AM | 13:30 – 17 PM
Reception: +41 61 205 86 00
historisches.museum(at)bs.ch
