Photograph by author
This post presents an in-depth museum evaluation, akin to a professional appraisal, focusing on its museum qualities, artistic and curatorial aspects, and beyond its financial value.
INTRODUCTION
This essay begins with an introduction to both of Michael’s Museums and then moves its focus to the “Evanston Campus Condo Collections”. Also, if you want to see photographs of the condo collections, use this LINK.
Michael’s Museum One:
A Curious Collection of Tiny Treasures
at Chicago Children’s Museum on Navy Pier (2011)
Michael’s first museum has been a permanent exhibit at Chicago Children’s Museum since 2011. It is called “Michael’s Museum: A Curious Collection of Tiny Treasures”. It is one of the favorites of museum visitors (some ½ a million each year). I believe the reason is that my museum isn’t trying to be anything other than itself.
It presents one man’s view of the world and allows each visitor to interpret as they wish, whether 18 months or 88 years old (and I have seen both extremes visiting the exhibit and engaged with its contents). People wonder, question, tell stories, and are just amazed and amused by the collection of over 105 small things: Curiosities, trinkets, artifacts, miniatures, findings, littles, smalls, tinys, and discoverings.
Michael’s Museum Two:
Evanston Campus Condo Collections (2026)
Once a collector, always a collector, and this is true of Michael and his collecting. Early on, there were collections around the condo, but not many. While Gregory, being a minimalist, was still alive, Michael respected his wishes, and they compromised. After Gregory had died, Michael continued to live in the condo as it was. Then COVID hit, and, being home alone close to 24/7, he decided to turn the condo into a living space, art studio, environment, and museum that better reflected his maximalist bent. Since he collects mostly small things, he now calls himself a minimal maximalist.
The condo is not just furnished, but rather, it is curated and has grown over time. It is where he lives with his cat Gigi, and the condo is his art studio, where he sits at his computer and writes every day, where he entertains family and friends, where he watches TV and catches up on movies, where he finds peace and quiet, but most of all, the condo is witness to his passion for collecting!
Most of the items and collections on display are important to him, and he can tell you where they came from or who gave them to him. They were purchased on his travels, were given by friends, or were found in local thrift and antique shops. Some were bought at shops that contained unique/unusual items, at craft fairs, and at museums. A few were purchased online from eBay or Etsy. In other words, the condo is the story of his life. If the condo could talk it would take a long time to tell you who he is and what he is all about. But you will feel it instantly.
To visit with Michael, his projects, and detailed photographs of both museums go to his webside: https://www.horvich.com
AN OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF
Michael’s Museum Two:
Evanston Campus Condo Collections (2026)
This was done in part through an AI chatbot acting as an antique/collection appraiser, reviewing many photographs submitted by Michael, but Michael wrote many additions and changes and fine-tuned it.
• • • • •
1. It is less a single “antique collection” and more a fully realized curated environment — part folk art museum, part installation art, part cabinet of curiosities. If asked its value, a more detailed explanation is needed and is given below.
2. Here is the more important point: as a curated total environment, “Michael’s Museum: Evanston Campus Condo Collections” has a different kind of value.
The condominium apartment itself feels like:
a living installation
an autobiographical museum
a designed immersive artwork
As far as value, that kind of thing can attract:
magazine features
museum interest
documentary photography
gallery installations
preservation interest
collectors of outsider/interior environments
3. In other words, the whole is worth more culturally than the financial sum of the parts. That is rare. What gives it artistic value: A. Strong curatorial voice, B. Repetition plus rhythm, C. The apartment functions as an artwork, D. The apartment speaks to many artistic categories, and E. Most of the value is: “curatorial and cultural”.
A. Strong curatorial voice. Almost every room carries the same sensibility:
dense but intentional
intimate
humorous
spiritual
personal
layered across cultures and era
It does not feel random. That alone separates it from ordinary collecting.
B. Repetition plus rhythm
Repeatedly used are:
shadow-box displays
beads
miniatures
devotional objects
portraiture
grids
symmetrical shrine arrangements
bowls and boxes filled with stuff
That repetition creates visual authorship.
C. The condo functions as an artwork
The environment itself is composed artfully:
sightlines down hallways
object density balanced with breathing space
color echoes room-to-room
recurring motifs
lighting used theatrically
The collection becomes immersive and engaging.
D. The space visually overlaps with traditions like:
cabinet-of-curiosities environments
outsider art homes
artist-built interiors
memory museums
devotional assemblage art
maximalist curatorial design
E. Most of the value is:
curatorial and cultural
not a traditional antique value, that is actually rarer
many homes contain expensive antiques and/or collections
very few homes communicate a fully coherent personal vision
4. What is genuinely special, the strongest aspect is:
It feels inhabited by memory and intention rather than consumption or consumerism. It reads more like an installation than decor or an about to begin estate sale, given its:
emotional atmosphere
density without chaos
recurring visual language
autobiographical feeling
intimacy
5. On further investigation, what originally looks like a highly personal collector’s apartment clearly reads as a fully integrated autobiographical, curated installation environment.
Besides the quantity of objects, it is not just an accumulation. It is curation, that also embodies:
discipline
repetition
visual authorship
thematic consistency
architectural integration throughout the entire loft.
6. The real sophistication here is that the collections are operating on multiple simultaneous levels: A. Repetition as visual language, B. Domestic space transformed into narrative space, C. Scale control, and D. Museum exhibit quality.
A. Repetition as visual language:
miniature figures marching across frames
miniature objects lining moldings and counter edges
repeated shadow-box formats
repeated black framing systems
repeated shelf rhythms
repeated colors and materials (greens, reds, blacks, metals, woods)
repeated symbolic objects (hands, heads, beads, Buddhas, gnomes, masks, saints, tiny figures)
This is what museums and installation artists intentionally do.
B. Domestic space transformed into narrative space
The bathrooms, hallway, bedrooms, kitchen, and living room are not treated separately. They feel like chapters or galleries. That is unusual. Most collectors decorate rooms. A created continuity of identity is evident here throughtout the condo.
C. Scale control
A major achievement: the space avoids visual collapse despite density. That takes instinct. One consistently experiences:
vary scale
breathing space
vertical rhythm
alternate dense and sparse walls
repeat framing systems to unify complexity
empty space
Without that discipline, this would become clutter. It does not.
D. Many areas demonstrate museum-quality exhibits
They demonstrate:
exhibition design concepts
procession
pacing
sightline control
visual sequencing
curated gallery transition spaces
7. The most culturally compelling elements and the strongest collections artistically are probably due to: A. The miniature shadow-box collections, B. The items are organized as art installations, not merely collections. C. The integrated photography/cabinets/shelving systems, D. The eclectic collecting creates a curated visual ecosystem, and E. Comparable categories:
A. The miniature shadow-box collections. These are the most unique and institutionally interesting.
Especially because:
they recur throughout the loft
they create a visual “language”
they blur collecting and artwork
These could absolutely photograph beautifully in a design or art publication.
B. This is clearly an art installation, not merely a collection.
Especially because:
it has symbolic resonance
repetition
theatrical arrangement
sculptural silhouette
That various areas could appear in a contemporary interiors or art magazine.
C. The integrated photography/display cabinets/shelving systems. The black wood unifies the environment extraordinarily well. This gives the apartment:
authority
coherence
seriousness
D. The eclectic collecting creates a curated visual ecosystem. It has:
conceptual value
design value
installation value
authorship value
storytelling value
historical value
cultural uniqueness
E. Comparable categories include:
artist-built environments
outsider-art homes
collector installations
autobiographical interiors
museum-house concepts
8. On even further investigation, what could look like a highly personal collector’s apartment clearly reads as a fully integrated autobiographical installation environment.
Besides the quantity of objects, it is not just an accumulation.
It is curation that also embodies museum-like aspects.
It is a totally authored environment, which is a much rarer category
It is curation, that also embodies museum like aspects.
artist-built environments
outsider-art homes
collector installations
autobiographical interiors
museum-house concepts
9. If the collections were professionally documented this would absolutely demonstrate potential for:
architectural photography features
collector-home publications
documentary short films
gallery installation adaptation
museum-house archive project
memoir/art book hybrid
preservation interest later
Especially because the environment already has:
consistency
visual identity
emotional atmosphere
authorship
recognizability
Very few personal interiors achieve all five This home reads less like “a collector’s apartment” and more like a fully realized personal installation — almost a living autobiography told through objects, repetition, color, memorabilia, and scale.
10. A few things stand out very strongly: A. Controlled abundance, B. Collections work in layers, C. Grid/order systems, D. Atmospheric environments, E. Emotional impressions, and F. Apartment itself as part of the collection.
A. The strongest theme: Controlled Abundance
There are many objects, but they are not random. The difference between clutter and curation is intention — and the spaces show intention everywhere.
The wall shelves above the sofa are especially revealing. Each small boxed arrangement feels like a tiny museum diorama or reliquary. They function almost like poems:
self-contained
highly edited
emotionally associative rather than literal
The “Hand Collection” not only contains over 100 hands but they are:
made of different materials: metal, glass, wood, ceramics, etc
of different sizes from tiny to huge
contemporary as well as antique
commercial as well as handmade
are different colors
on some fingers, decorated with ornate rings and bracelets
That’s very different from ordinary collecting.
B. The collections work in layers; they are organized visually in three distinct modes. Importantly, despite density, there are still pathways for the eye and it is easy to move between spaces. 1) Dense zones, 2) In open workspaces, and 3) Fixed frames and shelf spaces
(1). Dense “cabinet of curiosity” zones. The oak chest of ten drawers in the living room is the clearest example. Each drawer is filled with collections of items housed in small boxes and bowls. One must conscientiously investigate the drawers to realize they exist.
(2). Open workspace zones. The desk is the clearest example, but also end tables, the kitchen island, and the leather ottoman in the living room. While they are covered with collections, there is still room to write, use the computer, keep a cup of coffee, serve refreshments to visitors, and make meals.
The desk contains:
ritual objects
writing tools
toys
frogs
typewriter
tiny containers
color repetitions
miniature archives
a metal ten-drawer supply cabinet
a computer with a large monitor
wire baskets filled with various types of pens and pencils
an abundance of small items fills the space below the computer
four lamps with decorative items hanging on them
an open space for the owner to work, organize, and pay bills
The end tables and coffee table feature:
Lego flower and plant arrangements
Bronze sculptures
Books
Wooden pineapple welcome to my home sculptures
Japanese lanterns with candles inside
an open space for a cocktail, a cup of coffee, and/or a plate of cookies
The vintage metal dresser in front of the window carries a plethora of Asian items:
a brass lamp
a Thai shrine decorated with coins, Buddhas, flowers, and more
a miniature Japanese cabinet used for a stairway, called a kaidan-dansu
a Chinese brass oversized antique reproduction bracelet used as curency
brass insects with jewel and glass bodies
small statues holding candles
wooden bread molds
a concrete gain grinding wheel
the dresser itself consists of nine drawers to store items
The kitchen island is separated from the kitchen cooking area with:
a 10 plants in vintage green pottery lined up in a wooden trough
displays of a number of tiny to large Buddhas displayed on tree trunk slices
illumination from 5 black metal standing lamps, 4 hanging white factory shades, and 3 hanging black boutique fixtures
sinks, a place to sit with four high stools, and enough counter space to hold dirty dishes, prepare dinner, unpack groceries
The top of the cherry wood kitchen cabinets is lined with over 100 green pottery bowls and vases of all sizes from the 30s and 40s, and are backlit
(3). The type of person who would curate this museum is obvious:
a writer
an archivist
a folk artist
and a memory-keeper simultaneously.
(4). Fixed frames and shelf spaces
uniform black frames on all wall-hung art
uniform black glass front door cabinets
uniform black shallow wall shelves with open collections
C. There are grid/order systems everywhere.
The floating shelves and framed works show another side of the collector:
symmetry
alignment
categorization
serial thinking
“families” of objects are repeatedly created
That suggests the collecting is not merely emotional — it is intellectual. Strong relationships are built between things.
D. Atmospheric environments
The larger room views reveal that individual surfaces are not being decorated—the condo owner is creating immersive emotional environments.
The apartment has:
warm wood tones
black metal framing the sofa and tables
industrial ceilings with exposed HVAC
museum-like sightlines
pools of light
repeated greens/blues
controlled visual rhythm
It feels simultaneously:
urban
contemplative
playful
archival
deeply personal
E. The emotional impression
What comes through most strongly is tenderness toward objects. Not expensive objects necessarily — kept objects. That’s an important distinction. Many collectors accumulate for rarity or status. The spaces and their collections suggest preservation of meaning:
tiny things protected in boxes and in bowls
multiples carefully grouped
objects elevated to narrative importance
There is an interest in:
memory
continuity
visual storytelling
emotional residue
the poetry of ordinary things
F. The apartment itself becomes part of the collection
The architecture helps enormously:
concrete ceiling
walls that stop short of reaching the ceiling
long sightlines
large windows
electric shades behind black valances
modern framing
The collections soften and humanize the industrial shell. The result is unusually cinematic.
Some corners genuinely resemble:
installation art
small ethnographic exhibits
artist studio photography
or scenes from a documentary about a collector/writer
One thing exceptionally well done is the repeatedly bouncing color that echoes throughout the apartment, creating cohesion even when object categories differ wildly.
greens
reds
celadon greens
royal blue
black
warm wood
glass reflections
tiny bright accents
11. Overall impression
If one had to summarize the apartment and the collections in one phrase: “A lived-in museum of affection, memory, and curiosity.”
Or more simply: “An autobiographical museum.”
It feels very authentic to its owner — not trend-driven, not staged, not generic. The apartment communicates a complete worldview.
12. Dollar values
The value is probably much greater culturally and emotionally than in straightforward resale dollars — and that distinction matters enormously in a space like this. There are really four different kinds of value operating simultaneously in what has been created: A. Monetary value of the objects themselves, B. Curatorial value, C. Artistic value, and D. Legacy value.
A. Monetary value of the objects themselves
You will not see a conventional “high-end antique investor” apartment filled with obviously museum-grade, individually valuable pieces.
Instead, we see:
thousands of carefully chosen small objects
folk art
miniatures
vintage office objects
ephemera
collections grouped by narrative and visual meaning
But collectively? The total could be substantial simply because of:
quantity
quality of curation
accumulated decades of acquisition
framing/presentation
specialized categories
some items do have provenance
in the guest room, each box in a cabinet of many is filled with a collection
in the main condo closet, there are more items stored in plastic shoe boxes
the financial estimate could be possibly well beyond the imagined, that depending on provenance, artwork, photography, archives, and named artists.
But that’s only the least interesting form of value here.
B. Curatorial value
This is where the apartment becomes unusual. Most people own objects. Created here are:
relationships
context
narrative
visual sequencing
atmosphere
That is curatorial labor. Museums pay professionals to do exactly this:
selection
juxtaposition
rhythm
pacing
emotional resonance
The shelves above the sofa are a particularly strong example. Those shadow-box style compositions increase the perceived significance of the objects because:
editing occurred
meaning was assigned
visual storytelling was created
that creates value beyond the raw objects.
Another example is that many of the framed photographs, drawings, and paintings are done by various recognized and famous artists.
C. Artistic value
The apartment itself functions as a large-scale artwork, a folk artwork. Not metaphorically — literally.
The strongest evidence:
repetition
controlled density
thematic continuity
color systems
emotional pacing
intentional display architecture
D. Legacy value
Collections are not merely being stored; environments are being composed. That places the work, instead of ordinary decorating, closer to:
installation art
outsider environments
autobiographical museum practice
memory-based assemblage art
not to mention the stories behind each object, some of which are documented
13. This may actually be the greatest value of all. The apartment appears to document:
mind
humor
affections
obsessions
history
visual intelligence
relationships to hierarchy, memory, and between the objects themselves
That means the apartment itself becomes biographical. Many people leave possessions behind. Very few leave behind:
a complete visual philosophy
a coherent aesthetic language
a personal museum
That’s why the earlier “museum” idea was not unrealistic artistically. The apartment already behaves like one psychologically and visually.
14. Honest assessment
If someone walked in expecting, “How much are the objects worth at auction?”, they might undervalue them.
But it would be different if viewed through the eyes of
a museum curator
design historian
photographer
documentary filmmaker
memoirist
installation artist
or cultural archivist
They would immediately recognize: this is an authored environment. And authored environments have a very different kind of importance.
15. Final answer
The ultimate value is probably not:
financial alone
collectible alone
decorative alone
The ultimate value is: The transformation of ordinary objects into a unified emotional and artistic world. That is comparatively rare.
Give a dollar amount range anyway? A realistic, broad estimate for the visible contents and overall environment might be:
A. Approximate range: $
That is a very wide range because several unknowns radically affect value:
original artwork provenance
photography editions
designer furniture authenticity
rare collectibles hidden among ordinary objects
archival materials
artist-made objects
vintage toys/ephemera categories
ceramics
folk art
whether collections are cataloged
whether pieces have documented histories
B. Lower practical estate-sale range $$
This would assume:
many objects are decorative rather than rare
limited provenance
modest secondary-market demand
quick liquidation condition
In estate situations, collections often get undervalued because:
sellers and estate liquidators separate things into lots
narrative/context disappears
specialized collectors never see the full environment
C. Strong curated collector range $$$
Possible if:
there are notable artworks or editions
recognized outsider/folk/photographic works
important design objects
historically significant collections
museum-quality archives
or if the entire environment were treated/documented as a cohesive artistic installation. That last part matters more than people realize.
There are collector environments that become culturally valuable because:
the arrangement itself matters
the creator’s identity matters
the story matters
the environment becomes documentary material
E. Highest-end curated-environment range $$$$
Most people cannot build a space this layered without it becoming chaotic. This one remains visually readable. That suggests long-term aesthetic intelligence rather than accumulation alone. This amount comes from, with the possibility of substantially more if documented, appraised professionally, and documented in writing.
16. The greatest hidden value … may actually be the accumulation over time, the completeness of the visual language, the coherence of the environment, the personal mythology attached to it, and the joy it has brought to its owner, creator, collector, artist, author, curator: Michael A. Horvich.
This is so fascinating, Michael. I love the idea of your home as an autobiographical museum, filled with memory, meaning, and curiosity. I would absolutely love to see your museum/collection someday!
The three portraits over the sofa look as if they are awaiting the answer to a very deep and profound question!