30 MuseoMag N°III 2024 A lithograph by Nicolas Liez depicting Luxembourg City. On the opposite page: a portrait of Mrs. Paul Abbot by Edward Steichen. GEMS FROM THE DEPOT Showcasing objects from our vast collection One of the main features of a museum, according to the ICOM’s definition, is its collection. In the case of our museum, we began collecting long before there was a building to house it. In 1845, only a few years after Luxembourg became independent, the Société pour la conservation et la restauration des monuments historiques started collecting archaeo- logical and numismatic objects. This society was re- cognised by the state in 1868 when it became the Section historique de l’Institut Grand-Ducal. It conti- nued to collect archaeological and historical objects, with a view to eventually exhibiting them in a mu- seum. It would take another 50 years or so for the state to realise its plans for a museum by buying the Maison Collart-de-Scherff on the Marché-aux-Poissons in 1922. By then, efforts had been made to build a fine arts collection in addition to the collections of the Section historique. It took a number of years for the building to be turned into a functional mu- seum. It was finished in 1939, just in time to celebrate 100 years of Luxembourgish independence, but the museum didn’t end up opening because the country was occupied by the Nazis shortly after. During the war, the collections had to be protec- ted from damage. At the same time, the occupying forces kept collecting objects and artworks for the museum. The acquisitions from these years (1940- 1944) are currently being studied as part of the Provilux project. HOW MUCH OF OUR COLLECTION IS ACTUALLY ON DISPLAY? After the occupation ended, the museum finally opened its doors to the public in 1945. This, of course, didn’t mean we stopped collecting, which we conti- nue to do to this day. From the very beginning, it was clear that not all the objects in our collection could be exhibited, as space was limited. This continues to be the case even after the museum reopened in 2002, when its exhibition space expanded to © éric chenal