The Parade

Most exhibitions start with a theme, a storyline, and a carefully selected group of objects. But not for ‘The Parade’. For this exhibition, we’re deliberately steering clear of the traditional approach. Forget the theme and the narrative; ‘The Parade’ takes its cue purely from our collection - holding around 30,000 remarkably diverse objects - and the sheer joy of looking and discovering. Destination unknown; the journey itself - as is so often the case - is what matters most.

Who’s jumping on board?

A small part of our collection can be seen in our permanent exhibition ‘The Story of Ghent’ and in temporary exhibitions, at STAM or elsewhere. The majority of our collection rarely, if ever, gets the chance to "come out and play"; staying carefully tucked away in storage. With 'The Parade', those tables are turning.

We invited every member of the museum team to dive into our own collection and pick a selection of objects, purely on gut feeling. No themes, no rules, no requirements. Curiosity, wonder, and personal favorites took center stage. The result? A surprising, eclectic selection of objects, presented on parade carts and ready to set off on their journey. First stop: your own sense of wonder. It’s not a "best of"- it’s a colorful mix of large, small, beautiful, odd, old, new, familiar, exclusive, rich with history, enigmatic, intriguing, and even astonishing.

Set your own pace

‘The Parade’ is an experiment - both for you as a visitor as for us as a museum team. The procession doesn’t simply pass you by; you set the pace and the route, and make it your own. Pause at whatever catches your eye. Because it’s beautiful or strange, because it reminds you of something or because it simply makes you wonder.

Look closely, enjoy and explore. And along the way, get a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of our museum. Here and there, you’ll encounter the very questions we ask ourselves every day:

Why do we collect this object?
What do we know about this object - and what remains a mystery?
Where does this object come from?
How was this object made?
How do we preserve and care for this object?

Now it’s your turn

Observing and wandering around - that’s what it’s all about. Inspired by what you see? Grab a pencil and sketch what catches your attention. You’ll find materials in the exhibition to get creative. Your own impressions and sketches can also earn a spot right inside 'The Parade'.