The wunderkammer, or cabinet of curiosities, originated in the Renaissance and Baroque periods in Europe. These cabinets were private collections of rare and exotic objects, including natural specimens, antiquities and works of art, and scientific instruments. Men played a central role in the history of wunderkammers, as they were typically the wealthy collectors, scholars, or nobles who assembled and displayed these eclectic collections. These cabinets served as early precursors to museums and ...