Early Admission Ticket

Copper engraving on cardboard. Circa 1798.

The oldest admission ticket to a natural history museum was elaborately designed and individually issued. The predecessor institution to the NHM was housed at the Imperial Palace.

IN THE BEGINNING…
The wing of the Imperial Palace on Josefsplatz, where the imperial and royal Physical Astronomical Art, Nature and Animal Cabinet was located in around 1800, is illustrated as a copper engraving on the admission ticket. Between 1796 and 1802 animal mounts, physical equipment and works of art could be viewed on four floors of the building. Some of the unusual collections were still privately owned by the emperor, but were accessible to the public – with extremely flexible opening hours, as a contemporary report on the Nature Cabinet reveals: “No particular day was specified for visits, so that this cabinet could be viewed almost daily, with the exception of Sunday and holidays; however, admission was restricted to individuals and small parties, who had to apply to the director to obtain admission tickets.” The date and time of the agreed appointment was noted by hand on the back of the admission ticket - in this case, Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The Nature Cabinet quickly became a big draw for the public. In particular the dioramas – primeval forests, polar landscapes, and high mountain regions with mounted animals – were extremely popular. People also thought nothing of seeing stuffed humans. The mummy of the African valet Angelo Soliman was exhibited in a glass case until 1806 and “was specifically pointed out to the visiting public […] by a servant.” During the riots of 1848, the exhibits stored in the attic, mostly duplicates, were burned, including the body of Angelo Soliman. Plans for the new building on Ringstrasse were then pushed energetically forward.