Plaster Cabinet

Curatorial Work on Obsolete Collections and Objects of the Anthropological Division of the Museum Of La Plata

Abstract

Since their inception, science museums have incorporated a vast material culture for study, exhibition, and teaching, comprising photographs, drawings, models, sculptures, and replicas that complemented the scientific collections in their role of educating about diversity. Among these materials, plaster objects are remarkable, of which the Anthropology Division of the Museo de La Plata preserves a considerable amount. At different times, they were part of the exhibition or remained in storage. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a large part of the collection was moved to a warehouse located outside the historic building, where it was exposed to poor conservation conditions. From current scientific and museographic perspectives, these objects have become obsolete; however, they constitute scientific heritage due to their value as vectors of knowledge and their historical importance both in terms of scientific practices and representations and the knowledge and expertise of their producers. We aim to present the ongoing work of recovery and reinterpretation of plaster pieces—sculptural representations, models, and replicas. We propose actions for their preservation and briefly outline lines of study that show how, in the La Plata museum, scientific activity was linked to artistic and craft practices, which was the contribution of local technicians, how pieces were replicated and circulated to the museum's classrooms and other educational institutions, which transformations the Physical Anthropology exhibition underwent, and how, considering the heterogeneity of museum’s visitors, this collection was adopted, reinterpreted or discarded.