Missions

Constantly evolving collections

Like most museums, the Musée Ariana consists of an accumulation of artworks and objects acquired over a long period of time and arranged in a variety of ways. The collections are the assets that lie at the heart of our work at the museum. We are responsible for ensuring their preservation, studying them, making the best use of them, publishing them or presenting them to the public – all in all, for telling a wide range of inspiring stories about them!

The collections grow in size each year, in part as a result of occasional purchases but mainly through donations and bequests. Not all items of ceramic and glassware can be accepted into the museum. One of our tasks is to make these sometimes difficult choices in order to maintain the consistency and quality of our collection. We also have to carefully trace the origin of each item that enters the museum. Once they have been accepted, all items are given an inventory number and are permanently incorporated into the City of Geneva’s collections.

The artworks on display to the public merely form the tip of the iceberg (about 12% of the total volume). However, the pieces held in storage continue to be studied and constitute an almost infinite source of new exhibitions and loans.

Lastly, the Musée Ariana is one of 13 institutions receiving financial support from the Federal Office of Culture, to the value of 1,880,000 Swiss francs for the period 2018-2022. For 2023-2026, the FOC has entrusted the museum with a further grant to the value of 1,000,080 Swiss francs.