On the beginnings of the professional association of museums in Cisleithania : Association of Austrian Museums of Applied Arts and its development until 1918

Professional associations in the sphere of museums have traditionally been perceived as an important element boosting the development of the field (e.g. International Council of Museums, Network of European Museum Organisations, the same applies to museum associations operating at national level). A similar view of them prevailed in the late 19th century and early 20th century, when the first organizations of this type were established on the European continent. One of their prominent representatives at that time was the Association of Austrian Museums of Applied Arts (later the Association of Austrian Museums), operating in the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The main aim of this paper is to present this forgotten phenomenon with the help of period sources (especially the preserved reports on activities) and current professional literature and to describe the main motivations leading to its origin, internal functioning and also the activities carried out. At the same time, the story of this association will be set in the context of museum culture of that time and the impact of its influence in the successor states of Austria-Hungary, especially in Austria and Czechoslovakia, will also become a subject of interest.