It is the end of another year and there’s been many changes at Cooper Hewitt. We’ve installed new galleries and one part of the new infrastructure are new interactive experiences through which to explore our collection as it gets digitized.

As collections become available through these new interfaces, the objects that people explore or want to know more about, change. Often the quirky objects garner more interest online than the familiar, and in pulling back the curtain on ‘the whole collection’, rather than just ‘highlights’, we find fascinating new stories to tell.

Here’s 2014’s top ten most visited objects online.

  1. Textile, “Vegetable Tree“, designed 1944; this printing 1981, Medium: linen Technique: screen printed on plain weave Label: screen printed linen. Manufactured by Svenskt Tenn Designed by Josef Frank. 1982-60-1.

  2. Drawing, “Panel Wall with Still-life Motifs“, 1950–70
    Brush and gouache, graphite on cream paper, lined. Designed by Tommi Parzinger. Gift of Donald Cameron. 1998-19-142.

  3. Print, “Citibank Cashier’s Check Design“, ca. 1975, Photo offset lithography. Designed by Dan Friedman. Gift of Ken Friedman. 1997-19-54.

  4. Poster, “New York Skyscrapers Around Central Park“, 1963 Screenprint on white wove paper on illustration board. Created by John Rombola for Radio Station WPAT & New York Transit Advertising 1988-11-1.

  5. Poster, “Exercise: Today the majority of us work do so in a chair…These exercises can be performed while seated…/ Herman Miller“, 1979. Offset lithograph on paper. Designed by Linda Powell for Herman Miller Furniture Company. Gift of Linda Powell. 1991-69-54.

  6. Waistcoat, 1785–95, Medium: silk and metallic embroidery on silk foundation Technique: embroidered in silk in knot, stem, and satin stitches; metallic yarn in satin stitch; couched silk cord; appliqué of three plain weave silk fabrics; on plain weave foundation Label: silk e. Bequest of Richard Cranch Greenleaf in memory of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf. 1962-54-47.

  7. Poster, “New York City Ballet“, 1974–75, Offset lithograph on paper. Designed by Edward Gorey. Gift of Unknown Donor. 1980-32-976.

  8. Software and source code, “Planetary“, 2011, C++ and Objective-C Source Files. Designed by Bloom Studio and Robert Hodgkin. Gift of Ben Cerveny, Tom Carden, Jesper Andersen, and Robert Hodgin. 2013-14-1.

  9. Drawing, “Woman and a Dog“, 1935, Brush and black ink, white gouache on paper. By Christina Malman. Museum purchase through gift of Charles W. Gould. 1947-115-3.

  10. Weaver’s Thesis Book, 17th–18th century, Medium: leather, paper, and ink. Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Clarence Webster. 1958-30-1.

Fifth most popular object outside the USA.

Fifth most popular object outside the USA.

And here’s the top five for visitors arriving from outside the USA.

  1. Drawing, “Design for Wool Work“, ca. 1866
    Brush and gouache on pre-printed squared paper. Published by Hertz and Wegener. 1948-89-6.

  2. Drawing, “Design for a Lambrequin in Wool Work“, ca. 1860, Brush and gouache on pre-printed squared paper. Published by Hertz and Wegener. Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Abram S. Hewitt. 1947-121-4.

  3. Print, “Wool Embroidery Design, commonly called Berlin Wool Work: Hunting Dog“, ca. 1879, Brush and gouache, etching on thick blue wove paper. Published by Heinrich Kuehn, Berlin. Gift of kaltenberg. 1953-69-1.

  4. Drawing, “Design for Berlin Wool Work“, ca. 1860. Brush and gouache on pre-printed squared paper. Published by Hertz and Wegener and A. L. Dittmarsch. 1947-78-7.

  5. Poster, “FD-6: Flocking Diplomats New York: Locations, 1998-2005“, Designed October 2008
    Off-set lithograph on white wove paper. Cartographer: Lutz Issler Printed by Plaats Maken Designed by Daniel Gross Designed by Joris Maltha Firm: Catalogtree. Gift of Joris Maltha and Daniel Gross. 2009-30-6.

Third most popular object via Twitter.

Third most popular object via Twitter.

Here’s the top five for visitors arriving via Twitter.

  1. Television, “Predicta“, 1959. Metal, glass, plastic. Design Director: Herbert V. Gosweiler Manufactured by Philco (Philadelphia Storage Battery Company). Gift of Jan Staller in honor of Max Staller. 2008-29-1.
  2. Figure, “Cat and kitten” late 19th–early 20th century. Painted brass. Gift of Anonymous Donor. 1949-49-35.

  3. Inkstand, “Inkstand with Owl“, ca. 1935. Porcelain, enamel. Designed by Ivan Ivanovich Riznich Manufactured by Lomonosov Porcelain Factory. The Henry and Ludmilla Shapiro Collection; Partial gift and partial purchase through the Decorative Arts Association Acquisition and Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program Funds. 1989-41-142.

  4. Poster, “Joy, for I.B.M. Corporation“, 1980s. Offset lithograph on white paper. 1987-2-1.

  5. Cane with Pull-Out Map, 1940. Wood, metal, coated fabric, plastic. Manufactured by In-A-Cane Display Co. Gift of John B. Scholz in memory of Walter Scholz. 1987-97-10.

Seb Chan is Director of Digital & Emerging Media. His team builds all the online experiences and media at Cooper Hewitt and the pipes that drive the in-gallery interactive experiences. You can read more about their work at Cooper Hewitt Labs. On Boxing Day he’d usually be sitting on the couch watching the Boxing Day Test back home.

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