How and what do artifacts teach us about the history, evolution, and cultural significance of human sexuality? Gathered from the Museum of Sex’s permanent collection of more than 15,000 objects as well as from other notable collections and institutes of antiques, medical history and sexology, Artifact (xxx): Selections from Secret Collections presents an intimate exploration of how sex manifests across culture through art, science, and design. An early vibrator made in Great Britain, a lotus shoe worn by a woman in China, and a Braille issue of Playboy magazine provide insight into prevailing belief systems and societal taboos across geography and time. Fulfilling a wide range of functions from artwork, medical devices and pop-culture mementos to guidebooks and accessories used for enhancing pleasure or pain, these objects tell the stories of the expansive yet nuanced influence of sexuality throughout history.
Emily Shoyer, Lead Curator
Eve Arballo, Curatorial Assistant
John Monaco, Concept Design
Andrew Winchell, Architect
Feiyi Bie, Designer
Karen Eckhaus
Margaret Gaines
Flores Painting
Cletis Chatterton
The Burns Archive
The Dittrick Medical History Center at the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
The Kinsey Institute & Library, Indiana University Bloomington
M S Rau LLC, New Orleans