In 1998 the Weltmuseum Wien (then Museum of Ethnology) began to examine its collections as part of a national programme of restitution passed by the Austrian government in the same year. The origins of objects acquired after 1933 are to be systematically examined and catalogued, some 63,000 objects or inventory numbers in all; an inventory number often comprises several individual objects. Dossiers are to be put together for all questionable acquisitions.
The dossiers are then passed on from the Commission for Provenance Research to the governmental department responsible for restitutions. Aside from the Weltmuseum Wien, the archives of other museums are also examined for any controversial material, which may even include the archives of museums abroad. The research is conducted in close cooperation with the Commission for Provenance Research.
Contact
+ 43 1 534 30-5052
info@weltmuseumwien.at