Ornament (from the Latin ornare, meaning decorate, adorn, arrange, equip) – dust collector and wasted material or an expression of artistic refinement and creative joy? The decision is ultimately yours! In any case, ornament is closely linked to the history of the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, and the institution owes its very origins at least in part to such embellishments. In the second half of the nineteenth century, ornamental patterns and templates featured prominently in the so-called Vorbildersammlung (teaching collection), which had been created by founding director Justus Brinckmann to instruct students, designers and the public in matters of taste and aesthetics. Heated debates subsequently arose regarding the purpose and necessity of ornament – discussions that have continued with varying degrees of intensity up to the present day. The exhibition presents some 80 objects from the collection and navigates between changing forms, shifting meanings and the diverse connotations and functions of ornament.