This theme focuses on institutional and private collectors of jewellery, as well as presenting jewellery in permanent or temporary exhibitions. Many museums worldwide hold a collection of contemporary jewellery, and the amount acquiring jewellery is growing. These collections form part of larger museum collections that have divergent backgrounds and directions; ranging from crafts and design museums, to fine art museums, from ethnological and archaeological to fashion museums, from regional to national and encyclopaedic museums. Within these institutions jewellery can be on display but is also often stowed away in museum store rooms.

Therefore, this theme seeks submissions exploring the following research questions: How do museums collect jewellery, how is it presented, what are the discussions that lead to important changes in modes of display and acquisition policies? How do private collectors deal with their jewellery collections?

Keywords: museum studies, museum policy, museum and community, collections, acquisition, private collectors, private & public jewellery collections,  jewellery presentation / display / exhibition / events