Beads date back to the origins of humankind. Present on all continents, they have served as currency, conveyed social and political messages, and expressed human creativity. Attractive and personal, beads spark the imagination when used in decoration, protective jewellery and memory artifacts.
Beads are both valuable and moveable: travellers and deep-rooted souvenirs at the same time; they mirror worldwide networks. The ‘BEADS’ project aims to foster diversity, inclusion, and equity by bringing together museums to create a collaborative digital online exhibition of beadworks in all forms of art, craft, and design from all eras and cultures of the world.

Please visit our project page here. 

Image credit: Volker Hermes, Hidden Forabosco, 2022