On view through September 28, 2025, The Shakers: Builders of Worlds at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany spotlights the timeless design philosophy of a religious community that helped shape modern aesthetics. Known for their austere furniture, functional architecture, and deeply communal values, the Shakers saw design as an expression of faith, centered on equality, labor, and simplicity. The exhibition spans the full creative output of the Shaker movement, from furniture and tools to textiles and buildings, pairing historic artifacts with contemporary works that reflect the ongoing relevance of their minimalist vision.
Founded in 18th-century England and later established in over 20 American settlements, the Shakers developed a design language defined by clarity, standardization, and utility. Often flattened into the catchall term “Shaker style,” their output was far more than a look. It was a way of life.
Designed by Milan-based studio Formafantasma, the show features more than 150 original pieces, primarily from the Shaker Museum in Chatham, New York. After its run in Weil am Rhein, the exhibition will travel to major U.S. institutions, including the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia.
Collections Manager
Sharon Duane Koomler is a Shaker scholar and traditional letterpress printer living in upstate New York. She has academic degrees in American Folklore from Indiana University and Western Kentucky University. Sharon has worked at Shaker Museums from Kentucky to New Hampshire as an educator, curator, consultant, and director. She has written and published on Shaker material culture and spirituality, and lectured widely on Shaker art, life, and belief. Sharon has a particular interest in the under-researched social aspects of Shaker life and ways in which Shakers practiced inclusion and intentionality.