While the history of Western collections is well documented, the constitution of non-Western collections and their place within the institution requires in-depth study, at a time when debates over the provenance of African objects are driving the European museum field. An in-depth study of the history(ies) of the non-Western collections aims to shed light on the paths taken by the instruments from their place of creation to their heritage status, and to identify the conditions under which non-Western instruments were acquired by the Musée de la musique.
The Center for Research on Preservation (known by its French initials, CRC) is a research and services unit that falls under the joint umbrella of the CNRS (France’s national scientific research council), the French National Museum of Natural History and the Ministry of Culture and Communication. It specializes in research aiming at the preservation of cultural property.
