Colonial Traces - Collections in Context

ETH Zurich's natural history collections house thousands of artefacts from former overseas colonies, including rocks and minerals, insects, animal and plant specimens. In the worldwide discussion surrounding art and cultural artefacts from colonial contexts, such objects play a subordinate role. The new exhibition at the ETH Library's extract puts them in the spotlight, questions their past, and sheds light on the connection between science and colonialism.

Imperialism and research

In the age of high imperialism, scientific research in the colonies became increasingly important. It served the colonial powers to gain knowledge and to consolidate political and economic interests. As a university with an international reputation, ETH Zurich also sent experts overseas to research flora and fauna, topography, and mineral resources. Numerous objects thus found their way into the natural history collections of ETH Zurich.

Based on selected objects, the exhibition explores traces of colonialism in the collections and archives of ETH Zurich:
- It enquires into the provenance of these objects
- It investigates the role of colonial research expeditions and indigenous expertise in scientific careers at ETH in the 19th and early 20th centuries
- It points to a general connection between science and colonial conquest and exploitation

Curated by: Dr Monique Ligtenberg

Scenography: Charles Job & Maude von Giese