Goldledertapete mit der Allegorie der »Fünf Sinne«, MHK, Deutsches Tapetenmuseum, Foto: MHK, Arno HensmannsA new museum building with a state-of-the-art permanent exhibition is currently in the planning stages.
The most recent department of Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel is also the one with the most eventful collecting history. Founded in 1923 by Verein Deutsches Tapetenmuseum, an association formed by a coalition of leading wallpaper manufacturers and merchants, it was housed in several Kassel locations over the years.
Its quest for a permanent home started out at the Residenzpalast on Friedrichplatz, continuing via Weissenstein Wing at Wilhelmshöhe Palace to the Museum of Hessian History where the collection was housed up to the building's closure for restoration purposes in 2008.
Consisting of about 23,000 objects, the collection traces the development of wallpapers from the Early Modern Age to the present day. Its showpieces include gilt-leather specimens from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo eras as well as flocked and canvas wallpapers of the 18th century. The hand-printed French panoramic wallpapers of the 19th century represent another highlight of this unique collection. In addition to historical wall coverings, the museum also focuses on notable specimens from contemporary ranges of wallpapers. Drawing on its large collection of samples, the museum advises and supports both public authorities and private individuals in identifying and reconstructing historical wallpapers.
A new museum building with a state-of-the-art permanent exhibition to do justice to this unique collection is currently in the planning stages. For the time being, the collection is only accessible through an on-line catalogue.