The Weltmuseum Wien (World Museum Vienna), formerly known as the Museum of Ethnology Vienna, reopened its doors to the public on Wednesday, October 24 after three years of reconstruction. One of the museum’s most famous pieces is the Feathered Headdress of Ancient Mexico, known as the Moctezuma’s Feathered Headdress (Penacho de Moctezuma).
After INAH experts did a thorough restoration from 2010-2012 as part of a cooperation project between Mexico and Austria, specialists from both countries agreed that it is too fragile to be moved until there is a technology that protects against vibrations.
“Mexico is confident that technology will make enough progress in the near future to enable the Penacho to travel to Mexico,” said the architect José Enrique Ortiz Lanz, INAH National Coordinator of Museums and Exhibits, who traveled to Vienna to attend the museum’s reopening.
“Until that happens, its quetzal feathers show the world the splendor of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic featherwork and its iconic stature makes it an important ambassador of a millenary civilization by highlighting the strong historical and cultural ties that unite the New and Old Worlds,” said Mexico’s ambassador in Austria, Alicia Buenrostro Massieu.
The Penacho is the centerpiece of the Mesoamerican Hall, which includes other Mexican featherwork pieces, such as the feathered Ahuízotl Shield, as well as pre-Hispanic pieces, paintings of the colonial castes and various huipiles (traditional embroidered blouses).
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen formally inaugurated the newly reopened museum; other governments were also represented at the event.
The Mexican artist Alyosha Barreiro was invited to participate in the cultural program for the museum’s reinauguration, which was curated by the renowned Austrian artist and poet André Heller. Alyosha Barreiro performed with his Prehispanic Electronis & Nok Niuk group of dancers at a well-attended outdoor event in the famous Heldenplatz (Heroes’ Square).