Secretum

The Secretum was a hidden collection at the British Museum, set up in the 19th century to hold sexually graphic artefacts. It held amulets, charms and votive offerings from pre-Christian traditions, including objects linked to the worship of Priapus. Donations from collectors like Sir Hans Sloane and Sir William Hamilton contributed early items to the collection. By the 1860s, the museum held around 700 such objects, kept apart from public view. The collection grew further when antiquarian George Witt donated 434 artefacts in 1865, leading to the formal creation of the Secretum. Witt’s items ranged from Greek and Roman antiquities to Indian temple reliefs and Japanese shunga prints. Scholars today see the Secretum as a product of Victorian attitudes, where morally sensitive material was kept from general audiences. The collection included phallic amulets, fertility symbols and even a supposed medieval chastity belt, later found to be a fake. Visitors would not have found the Secretum on display, as it was kept locked away. The last items were removed in 2005, ending a century-long practice of segregation. Some objects were transferred to departments matching their cultural context, while others remained in storage. The British Museum’s handling of these artefacts reflects broader historical attitudes towards sexuality and public access. Today, the story of the Secretum offers insight into how museums once managed controversial material.