Decoration & Symbols: What Adorns Men

Men have been adorning themselves—and have done so for millennia. Whether it’s a ring, an amulet, a medal, a watch, a tattoo, or a belt buckle: jewelry is far more than mere decoration. It tells stories, sends messages, makes a statement, and serves as an expression of power, status, belonging, and identity. From a cultural-historical perspective, however, the phenomenon of men’s jewelry has received little attention to date. With the major special exhibition “Ornament & Symbol: What Men Wear,” the Württemberg State Museum is devoting itself comprehensively to this fascinating and multifaceted topic for the first time.

Spanning ten sections, the exhibition traces a journey from the Stone Age to the present day: Drawing on the collections of the Württemberg State Museum, with a focus on Central Europe, it opens up both contemporary and intercultural perspectives—from archaeological finds and historical artifacts to handcrafted objects and everyday items. The exhibition centers on the question of what messages jewelry conveys, what meanings jewelry elements hold, and what they reveal—both then and now—about masculinity and the evolution of gender roles.

The tenth section of the exhibition features works by our jewelry design students: As part of a seminar during the summer semester of 2026, 17 students explored the concept of men’s jewelry and are now presenting their results in the exhibition. On display are works by:

Mia Buckley, Chiara Ceniccola, Zora Gensel, David Gleyzer, Carla Hailer, Hanna Jeong, Milla Koch, Isabelle Kossmann, Zoe Leonhard, Leona Lindemann, Greta Marzolf, Miriam Neukam, Leah O’Callaghan, Leonie Steinhauer, Georg Schiller, Ella Schmeding, and Luca Paul Zimmermann.

Pre-Opening Party on October 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Ornament & Symbol: What Adorns
Men October 17, 2026, through April 25, 2027
Württemberg State Museum, Altes Schloss, Schillerplatz 6, 70173 Stuttgart
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

www.landesmuseum-stuttgart.de/ausstellungen/zier-zeichen