Schell Collection Graz (EN)

An electronic guide for the world’s largest collection of locks, keys and chests

(App-version with english content)

This special museum is a hidden treasure!

Located in the heart of Graz, Austria you can find the world’s largest collection of locks, keys and chests. The private collection of the Schell family expands for more than 50 years and the number of exhibits is surprising. You can see more than 13.000 high quality exhibits like chastity belts, iron safes, chests made of amber, ivory or tortoise shell and locks from the ancient Rome up until the 19th century.

The museum has three floors, each takes you to a complete new world. Start with the first floor and try to guess where our hidden drawers might be or take a close look at our chests – but don’t get fooled! The keyhole you can see is mostly just a fake one! Whereas you see lockable masterpieces from Europe on the first floor, the second floor shows you nothing lockable at all! Here you can see cast and wrought iron exhibits and start a journey through the 19th century. The marvelous cast iron jewellery looks delicate in its showcase, whereas the wrought iron guild signs want to tell you all of their tales. If you go further you reach the third floor and suddenly find yourself in Africa and Asia.

Due to the fact that the collection’s founder Hanns Schell used to be a mountaineer, who climbed world’s highest mountains, there can be found padlocks of the Tuareg, Bamana or Dogon tribes and even doors from different parts of western Africa. Different shaped padlocks like scorpions and cows are shown from India, next to unique chests of the Buddhistic goddess Palden Lhamo.

Use this App as a guide through the museum! You will find three guided tours for each floor: One highlight-tour, one trip for children and one special tour, if you want to get special knowledge to a certain topic. The App shows high quality pictures of the showcases and gives you information about the exhibits. You can click on a showcase or choose a tour and start your own journey through the museum.