Collecting Corona (Corona Sammeln)

The coronavirus pandemic has  posed major challenges to the museum landscape. Not only because their presence was not perceivable for a long period of time, but also because their social significance was re-located. "System relevance" was the characteristic that decided whether a museum was to be opened or closed in Germany. Many of my colleagues working in cultural history museums and in charge of collections got involved in this discussion constructively and used the opportunities to participate in social discourse, collection initiatives, and collegial cooperation. The article gives an overview of the ongoing process, different theoretical and practical approaches and focuses on the example of the Baden State Museum in Karlsruhe - a cultural history museum with expertise in participatory contemporary projects.