Welcome to the museum of crossnatural history

The museum curates a collection of objects that exists in between the realities of nature, technology and consumerism. Objects in a crossnatural world.

These objects are examples of a new evolving set of species that combine animalistic elements together with elements of our contemporary, anthropocene world. They show us the, sometimes unintended, consequences of how we organise our consumption and technology oriented society. Each creature tells his individual tale about fear, insecurity, joy, vulnerability. About the questions that arise in their connection with this crossnatural environment.

Ages ago in medieval times we tried to catalog all sorts of mystical beast in bestiaries, in an attempt to understand and give meaning to the world around us. And later on in the 16th century the expansion of the western knowledge of the world sparked an new curiosity for nature. People started collections of all sorts of special or exotic objects, leading to the emergence of cabinets of curiosities. And this impulse to collect remained a central theme in the development of our knowledge of the natural world. Collections were an attempt to get a grip on an expanding world. An encyclopedic collection was a manageable way to grasp the complexities around us.

Gradually these collections evolved into more scientific collections. More and more attention was given to the ordinary. And everything was classified in systems like those of Linnaeus of Winckelmann. Natural history museum became research institutions. Shifting away from the attention for the wondering, the mirabilia.

This day and age our world is quickly expanding again. A new dimension of technological and digital possibilities is emerging. Shortly after an industrial revolution we dive in to an era of information technology, social media and artificial intelligence. And I feel that many people fail to grasp the full scope of change. Fail to keep up with it. The museum of crossnatural history describes different species that cross the border between a natural and technological word. And with that it creates a new bestiary in which every species tells about the morals and symbolic meanings of these times. A cabinet of curiosities to research this new expansion of this world. So it will help in understanding our new horizons.

The museum tries to visualise an urban ecology. Giving abstract themes a tangible, somewhat animalistic form. Questioning different aspects of this urban society.

You can visit the museum at very irregular times during one of our open air exibitions. Or you can go and find hidden creatures yourself in Dordrecht.