21st International Silver Triennial
21 International Silver Triennial
In dialogue with highlights from Pforzheim’s jewellery museum made of silver and diamonds
17 May 2026 through 6 January 2027
Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, Pforzheim
Opens on International Museum Day, Sunday, 17 May, 3 p.m.
Whether bowls or a teapot, vases or a lantern – the spectrum of objects submitted for the 21st International Silver Triennial is wide. Pforzheim’s Jewellery Museum presents the creations selected from this competition for the promotion of the work of contemporary silversmiths, which has been organised by the Association for the Promotion of the Goldsmith’s Art and the German Goldsmiths’ House in Hanau since 1965. Meanwhile, thanks to presentations both in Germany and abroad, the Silver Triennial has become a series of travelling exhibitions that enjoys international recognition. This time too, visitors can admire exceptional silver objects whose designs and craftsmanship testify to artistic sophistication and an impeccably high level of artisanal precision. The diversity of the exhibits is fascinating. Ingeniously bridging the gap between utilitarian objects and works of art, they effectively highlight the aesthetic qualities of silver.
In dialogue highlights from the jewellery museum’s collections made of silver and diamonds and of its ethnographic collection will be on display as well as interventions with historical collections from Grosse Sterling.
From the second half of the exhibition onwards, students from the Design, Jewellery and Utensils vocational college programme at Pforzheim’s Goldsmithing School also showcase their creations.
Cool Brilliance – the Jewellery Museum’s highlights made of silver and diamonds
Everything that glitters catches people’s eye. No other metal reflects light as much as silver, and the cool brilliance of diamonds is shown off to maximum advantage only in a setting of white precious metal. In our Historical collection, we spotlight the multifaceted importance of silver, and a multimedia installation places the metal in a historico-cultural context.
Afghanistan, Oman or the Black Forest? Silver highlights from the ethnographic collection
Ancient silver finds date back to the 5th millennium BC and were excavated in the mountainous region between Asia Minor and Afghanistan. But silver was also mined in the southern Black Forest since the Middle Ages.
With silver in mind, our »What is Jewellery« exhibition area can be discovered anew, not least with the help of a digital excavation table that allows visitors of all ages to slip into the role of archaeologists.
The exhibitions have been devised and curated by Katja Poljanac under the overall supervision of Friederike Zobel, the Museum’s director.
Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim
Jahnstraße 42
75173 Pforzheim
Germany
Admission € 12.50, reduced price € 10, family ticket € 22
