The V&A Cast Courts first opened in 1873 as the Architectural Courts and primarily displayed replicas of Renaissance monuments. Their primary aim was educational, allowing visitors to appreciate art without the need to travel to the original locations. Today, as academic teaching relies less heavily on the use of casts, the Cast Courts provide an alternative perspective for visitors to explore questions of authenticity. This context encompasses deeper meanings beyond the binary of “real” and “fake.” Each replica has accumulated tangible and intangible traces over time, subtly altering its identity. Consequently, viewing a replica as an independent piece offers a significantly different experience from viewing it alongside the original.