Dr. Alma Wittlin's 6 different kinds of collection

Collections are made with different motivations and for different purposes.

These 6 kinds of collections are based on the motivations of those who have assembled the collections.

1. Economic hoard collections (a pirates treasure).
2. Social prestige collections (the art collection of a newly rich family, conspicuous consumption)
3. Magic collections (the bones of saints in churches)
4. Collections as expressions of group loyalty (trophy collections in a high school lobby)
5. Collections as means of emotional expression (those that result from an overwhelming drive to collect)
6. Collections as a means of stimulating curiosity and inquiry (the clothing and tools of primitive tribes assembled from afar at a world fair)

Though some motivations which were at work in the past are not now considered appropriate for building the collections of a public museum, they may still be powerful driving forces behind the decisions of the museum trustees and others who have connections to our museums.