The 21st century so far has been a time of great change and turmoil, both in the positive and negative sense. On the one hand, it has been a time of great technological advancements (e.g. communication technologies) and social and cultural shifts (e.g. #MeToo and BlackLivesMatter movements). On the other hand, it has also been a time of increasing climate issues and deteriorating health, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. With this digital collection, students wanted to capture and preserve the essence of these current developments in order to inform future generations about their society’s past.
As can be seen on the timeline below, the Virtual Time Capsule collection consists of 32 objects that represent a personal and collective narrative of the last two decades. Experience the extraordinary stories of the 21st century through ordinary objects by clicking through the timeline below or by diving into the collection.
The objects of the Virtual Time Capsule collection are divided into five different themes: entertainment, environmentalism, inclusivity, technology & society, and wellness. All of these themes encapsulate a narrative which is representative of a major change or issue of the 21st century: explore their stories and the accompanying objects by clicking on the buttons displayed below.
