Spotlight on the Permanent Collection
Spotlight on the Permanent Collection is the first exhibition featuring a sampling of objects and ephemera drawn from over nine thousand objects that comprise the permanent collection of the Museum of Sex. This ever-growing collection, begun five years ago, covers many aspects of human sexuality. The vast majority of items reflect America's changing attitudes about sex and sexuality over the last 250 years.

Spotlight on the Permanent Collection explores eight themes: sex education; mapping sex in America; sex in art; law and public morality; sex in advertising; sex and technology; sex and entertainment; and the significance of the Museum of Sex in New York City. The exhibition includes erotic works by well known artists like Randy Wray, Gerald Gooch and Alex Rockman donated to the museum by the Peter Norton Family and the Lannan Family Foundation. Highlights of the technology collection include homemade contraptions and commercial devices registered with the U.S. Patent Office that prevent, improve or enhance sexual function. Dan Siechert's "Monkey Rocker" or Abyss Creations LLC's "Real Doll" are just a few of the exhibits featured.

The gallery development team, lead by John Vollmer and Karen Eckhaus of the Museum of Sex, includes several leading authorities from a wide range of disciplines: Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Professor of Sociology at the University of Washington, St. Louis serves as a key advisor for "Sex Education America." Joshua Berger and Sarah Dougher, authors of the (award-winning) book, XXX: The Power of Sex in Contemporary Design, have curated "Stimulating Sales: Sex and Design."

Andrea Tone, Canada Research Chair in the Social History of Medicine Social Studies of Medicine & Department of History at McGill University, and Rachel Maines, Researcher at Cornell University, offer commentary in "Sex and Technology." Dr. Joseph Slade, Professor at the School of Telecommunications, Ohio University and advisor on the exhibition, Stag, Smokers, and Blue Movies, helped to plan the exhibits in "American pornography" which are drawn from the Museum of Sex's Ralph Whittington collection.

Spotlight on the Permanent Collection opens February 7, 2005.

Exhibition Credits