Enhanced accessibility vs. presentation of the object itself: A sideways view

Museums have sprung from the desire to collect rare, curious or precious things. These were exhibited in art galleries, glass cupboards and show-windows, mainly for the collector's own enjoyment. Occasionally others might be invited to gape in admiration at the collection, yet not so much for their own good as to enhance the image of the collector himself. Sometimes the objects were listed—complete with details about their origins and further remarks—affirming their precious or rare character. On other aspects, such as their interrelationships, the collector kept his own counsel, and it was there that the keys to the collection's accessibility—‘the keys of the kingdom’—rested as well.