Preliminary models or maquettes were often regarded by makers and clients as temporary aids, but for a city museum they have a special relevance. The STAM collection contains a number of maquettes of both realized and unrealized projects, recent and less recent, with information about the context and the larger entities in and for which the maquettes were made. By their very nature and size they are fragile and so often present a challenge for museums in terms of conservation and management.
