For museums, each work is more than merely something to be put on display - it is a story waiting to be told. Coats of arms play a key role in revealing this story and providing rich, well-documented context.
A regional museum seeks to improve the catalogue of its permanent collections. Several objects - portraits, chests, and pieces of silverware - bear coats of arms that have never been identified.
By using Webaldic, the museum team discovers:
- Precise links to historical families and lineages.
- Unexpected connections between objects and regions, revealing forgotten migration and alliances.
- Previously untold stories enabling each object to be placed within its social and historical context.
This information transforms the pieces on display: they gain new historical depth, allowing the museum to create more engaging labels and narratives for visitors.
Impact for museums
1. Enrich storytelling
Exhibits with well-researched heraldic connections offer a more complete and immersive narrative, drawing visitors into the lives and stories behind each piece.
2. Generate knowledge and understanding
Coats of arms provide vital clues for historians, genealogists, and cultural researchers. Museums move beyond merely preserving objects to actively generating knowledge.
3. Preserve cultural heritage
Accurate documentation of coats of arms helps keep the stories of objects alive for future generations.
4. Discover unidentified treasures
Many museums will certainly be surprised by some of the unidentified gems hiding in plain sight amongst their collections, simply because the coats of arms have never been identified.
Examples
Example of an unidentified coat of arms on an object exhibited in a museum, along with Webaldic's solution
An example from the MET museum of an unidentified coat of arms. The only information provided is Spanish, 17th century. A quick search in Webaldic reveals not only the identity of the person, but also that the date and geography are incorrect.
Result found in Webaldic
The arms belong to the Swiss bishop Zen-Ruffinen.