In summer 2025, the Vitra Design Museum will present a major exhibition exploring the American Shaker community and their unique design culture. Established in the eighteenth century, the Shakers were a free church community that embraced social equality, communal property, and pacifism, viewing labour and design as crucial expressions of their faith. The Shakers’ radically simple, functional objects have had a profound influence on modern design, inspiring generations of artists, architects, and designers up to the present day. The exhibition will showcase a wide range of Shaker furniture, architecture, tools, and commercial goods, drawn primarly from Shaker Museum, Chatham (USA). Works by contemporary artists and designers enter into dialogue with the historic exhibits, reflecting on the Shakers’ enduring relevance.

An exhibition organised by the Vitra Design Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia, and the Wüstenrot Foundation.

In collaboration with Shaker Museum