Houten kast, opgesteld in het archeologisch museum in Luik, België before 1884

This photograph captures a wooden cabinet that once stood in the archeological museum in Liège, Belgium. The image, taken by an anonymous photographer, shows the cabinet's ornately carved doors and decorative figures along the top. Furniture like this tells a story of social class and cultural values. In what ways did it reflect the cultural priorities of its time? The photograph itself also tells a story. What does it reveal about the evolving role of museums in preserving and displaying cultural artifacts? Museums like the one in Liège helped shape how people understood their history and identity. They were not neutral spaces but rather institutions with their own agendas. Understanding this image requires us to look into the archives of the Liège archeological museum itself. What can records tell us about its collecting practices? The story of this cabinet and photograph are just as much about the institution as the object itself.