MUSEUM. MONUMENT. HERITAGE 1 (15) / 2024
A Problem in Focus: “Society in the Museum vs. Museum in Society”:
Proceedings of the Scientific and Practical Round Tableto the 20th anniversary of the Department of Museum Work and Protection of Monuments
at the Saint-Petersburg State University, April 12, 2024
Klimovitskaya I.I. From Encyclopedia to Attraction (The Experience of the Theatre Museum) — 5 (Rus.)
Klimovitskaya, Irina Igorevna — academic secretary, St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, acs@theatremuseum.ru
The article deals with the evolution of museums from the Enlightenment to the present
day, their role and functions in society. Initially, museums served as custodians of cultural heritage and sources of objective knowledge, but in the 20th century this approach was criticized. With the postmodernity and metamodernity, museums are transforming from repositories of artefacts into spaces of attractions and subjective experiences, where multiple points of view and emotional involvement of visitors come to the fore. The St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music demonstrates current museum practices — the transition from didacticism to communication, dramatization, and triggering unique experiences for visitors. The author emphasizes that the museum of today should be a space of active communication any free
imagination, adapting to new socio-cultural realities.
Key words: museum, society, theatre, modern, postmodern, metamodern, public, communication, museum practices.
Gerasimov G.I. Sociological Service of the Museum:
Using the Example of the Tula State Weapons Museum — 15 (Rus.)
Gerasimov, Grigory Ivanovich — Doctor of History, Associate Professor, Tula Museum of weapons, Russian Federation, Tula, ggi1957@mail.ru
Museum sociology provides a range of methods to explore the social problems of the
museum. Their complex application at the Tula State Weapon Museum (TSMO) led to the gradual formation of a freelance sociological service, engaged in both ongoing monitoring of social problems and periodic conduct of large-scale research. The first survey in the form of a questionnaire was conducted in 2014. It made it possible to draw up a “portrait of the main visitor”, evaluate the sources of information received by visitors, and identify a number of problems, the elimination of which made it possible to improve the work of the museum. The survey was repeated in 2019, which made it possible to clarify the social characteristics of museum visitors, identify the main channels for visitors to obtain information and, on this basis, develop recommendations for increasing the flow of visitors and methods of working with them. A content analysis of reviews about the museum on the Internet made it possible to understand how the attitude of visitors to the museum is changing, the work of its staff is evaluated, and what wishes and recommendations are expressed to it. In the periods between
the survey and content analysis of reviews on the Internet, TSMO employees constantly monitor the perception of the museum by visitors, using a whole range of forms and methods, which allows them to monitor the current situation and quickly respond to visitors’ opinions about the museum.
Key words: museum sociology, Tula Arms Museum, methods of sociological research,
forms of museum sociology, sociological service of the museum.
Vlasnikova M.A. Educational Activities of the Church Museum
(Using the Example of the Museum of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra) — 23 (Rus.)
Vlasnikova, Maria Aleksandrovna — Candidate of Cultural Studies, a scientific researcher of the Museum of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, mariavlasnik@gmail.com
The article examines the historical and contemporary educational role of church museums. During the proto-museum period of the development of church museums, objects of military glory and military trophies were placed in the temples, which contributed to the patriotic education of parishioners. In the second half of the 19th century in Russia, the idea of creating church-archaeological museums at religious educational institutions arose with the aim of visually mastering professional disciplines, primarily church archaeology. The educational function in such church museums was most pronounced, which was reflected in the exhibition, which included not only original objects, but also copies and photographs. Using the example of the recent history of the Museum of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, the work of a modern church museum in the field of education and upbringing is shown. Educational function was implemented the best way in cooperation with universities and colleges that teach museologists
and restorers. In addition, the museum took part in museum festivals with career guidance and educational programs. Based on the collection of military-themed items and through the inclusion of display objects related to the Great Patriotic War in the tour of the Nikolskoye Cemetery, the museum carried out patriotic education. It is noted that the education of patriotic feelings is especially important for church museums related to military topics. Such church museums can be considered continuators of the tradition laid down in the proto-museum period of their development. Key words: church museum, Ancient storage of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, educational work, patriotic education, museum of visual aids.
Lyubeznikov O.A. Presentation of the Process of Construction of St Isaac’s Cathedral in Museum Exhibitions (On the Question of the Museum as an Institute of Education) — 33 (Rus.)
Lyubeznikov, Oleg Anatolievich — Candidate of Science in History, Associate Professor,
Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, o.lyubeznikov@spbu.ru
The article analyzes the methods of presenting the process of construction of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg in the expositions of Russian museums. Comparing publications, materials of methodological developments of excursions and the exhibition complexes in a number of museums of the North-West of Russia with unpublished office documents from four archives of St. Petersburg on the history of the construction of the temple, the author comes to the conclusion that the course and features of the construction of the building have not been sufficiently studied. The construction of St Isaac’s Cathedral appears to the museum visitors in a very simplified form, as a set of separate stages, and not as a holistic, complex technological process, each phase of which required the implementation of various actions. A detailed narrative about the construction of the temple, which is quite achievable in museum exhibitions today (even with the help of multimedia technologies), requires, however, from museums, which are called upon to act as institutions for educating the public, full-fledged, highly qualified scientific research work.
Key words: St. Isaac’s Cathedral, museum, construction, exposition, foundation, dome.
Sinilshchikova G.A., Mazalova O.P., Shatalova O.I., Kuteeva G.A. Interactivity as a Tradition: Mechanisms of the Practical Mechanics Cabinet — 40 (Rus.)
Sinilshchikova, Galina Aleksandrovna — Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Deputy Head — Chief Curator of the History of Physics and Mathematics Museum of St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, museum_mmphys@spbu.ru;
Mazalova, Olga Pavlovna — Leading specialist of the History of Physics and Mathematics Museum of St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, o.mazalova@spbu.ru;
Shatalova, Olga Igorevna — Master’s degree, specialist in conservation of museum objects at the History of Physics and Mathematics Museum of St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, o.shatalova@spbu.ru;
Kuteeva, Galina Anatolyevna — Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, g.kuteeva@spbu.ru.
The article examines the interactive traditions of the St. Petersburg State University museums dating back to the XIXth century when the Practical Mechanics Cabinet of St. Petersburg Imperial University was founded. The models of mechanisms which had been collected in that cabinet were then used in teaching students mechanics. Currently, some of the mechanisms from this collection are on display in the mathematics and mechanics section of the History of Physics and Mathematics Museum of St. Petersburg State University. The tour is based here on demonstration of some mechanisms in motion, as well as animations of mechanisms.
Key words: museum, practical mechanics cabinet, physics, mathematics, mechanics,
interactive programs, mechanisms, tradition, university, educational activities, excursions.
Museum
Smolina N.A. «I Did Not Have the Courage to Return to Starving Petrograd…»: The Nizhny Novgorod Years of Lazar Vladimirovich Rosenthal (1919–1922) — 46 (Rus.)
Smolina, Nadezhda Alekseevna — Candidate of Historical Sciences Deputy Dean, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, N. Novgorod, Russian Federation, cucula86@mail.ru
The article is devoted to the Nizhny Novgorod period of activity of the Russian (Soviet)
art historian and teacher L.V. Rosenthal as the head of the Nizhny Novgorod People’s Art Museum (1919–1922). The article reveals the details of the everyday life of the staff of the art museum at that time, relationships in the team, various activities related to the removal of nationalized treasures from the noble and manor estates, the creation of new expositions, educational work, examination of historical and artistic treasures, which have not been studied before. It is concluded that Rosenthal received primary professional skills in Nizhny Novgorod and developed an interest in those spheres of museum work that would be developed in his further work. Key words: Nizhny Novgorod, L.V. Rosenthal, Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum, museum
of pictorial culture, state free art workshops.
Hookk D.Yu. The Socialist Reconstruction of the State Hermitage Museum:
The First Exhibition of the Sector of the Pre-Class Society in 1933 — 55 (Rus.)
Hookk, Daria Yurievna — Candidate of Science in Philology, Senior Researcher, the State Hermitage Museum, Russian Federation, Saint-Petersburg, hookk@hermitage.ru
This article continues a series of publications related to fundamental changes in the structure of the State Hermitage Museum a century ago. The transformations that have taken place in the management of the state museum have led to a reorganization of scientific and curatorial work, as well as a change in approaches to working with museum visitors. The principles of organizing exhibitions have changed in accordance with the decisions taken at the First Museum Congress in 1930. In the language of the museum exposition, the principles of revolutionary ideology should be conveyed to the masses. It was during this difficult period that the Sector of the pre-class society was forced to accept the museum’s funds as soon as possible, as well as the incoming collections from the GAIMK, LILI and the Artillery Museum. Purging
the apparatus of bourgeois elements deprived the museum of highly qualified specialists, without whom it became difficult to take inventory and expand the exposition. The Scythian exhibition in the Old Hermitage, disassembled in 1930, could not be reproduced as ideologically alien, and for the new one, first of all, a strong team was needed. It is not surprising that information about the new exposition of the department appears only in the 1933 guidebook. The exhibition lasted for a short time, actually less than the Scythian exhibition of the Department of Antiquities in 1927 (curated by B.V. Farmakovsky and G.I. Borovka), and was also criticized or mentioned in passing. Photographs have been preserved in the archive of the department,
testifying to the uniqueness of this project, innovation in the museum business and
a breakthrough for the methods of displaying archaeological materials. The task of the author was to confirm this thesis with the help of archival sources.
Key words: museum studies, museum construction, socialist reconstruction, exhibiting,
dialectical materialism, sector of pre-class society, State Hermitage Museum, Scythian exhibition.
Navrotskaya T.G. Three Exhibitions of the Museum of History of the Gorky Automobile Plant — 82 (Rus.)
Navrotskaya, Taisiya Gennadievna — MA in Museology, Saint-Petersburg State University graduate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, taisianavrockaya@gmail.com
The Gorky Automobile Plant is the largest enterprise in Nizhny Novgorod. Currently,
a program is being implemented, during which transformations are taking place in the social sphere and the objects of Sotsgorod — Avtozavodsky district of Nizhny Novgorod are being restored. One of them, the GAZ History Museum, was opened after re-exposition in 2022. The article analyzes two previous exhibitions, 1965 and 1981, and describes in detail the new exhibition from concept to exhibition solutions.
Key words: GAZ History Museum, Gorky Automobile Plant, corporate museum, re-exposition.
Monument
Tomashevskii A.V. To the History of Museumification of Small Architectural Forms: Aviaries in the Lower Park of Peterhof — 100 (Rus.)
Tomashevskii, Aleksandr Valerievich — 2nd year Master’s student of St. Petersburg State University, main educational program “Visual Technologies in Museum”, freelance employee of the Peterhof State Reserve Museum, freelance employee of the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg (branch: Peter and Paul Fortress), St. Petersburg, Russia, st120699@student.spbu.ru
The scientific supervisor — A.A. Nikonova, Candidate of Science in Philosophy, Senior
Lecturer of the Department of museum work and protection of monuments, Head of Educational Program “Visual Technologies in Museum”, Saint Petersburg State University.
The article discusses the process of museumification of small architectural forms located on the territory of the Peterhof State Reserve Museum. The article traces thoroughly the way of life of two garden pavilions of the Peter the Great period, western and eastern aviaries, on the basis of archival materials and works of researchers. Over the century of the museum’s existence, the pavilions have changed their purpose several times. They were used for household needs, used as exposition space and exhibited as authentic historical objects. The last museumification project was carried out in the early 2000s, which brought both garden pavilions — the western and eastern ones — back to their original appearance. It is important to note that, in addition to the scientific restoration of the aviaries, they were also restored to their original purpose: birds now live in them in summer.
Key words: reserve museum, museumification, small architectural forms, Peterhof.
Bolgova S.R. The Instruction of M.V. Farmakovsky for Combating Mold
in Saint Isaac’s Cathedral — 110 (Rus.)
Bolgova, Sofia Romanovna — student of the bachelor program “Museology and conservation of cultural and natural heritage sites”, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, st089340@student.spbu.ru
The scientific supervisor — O.A. Lyubeznikov, Candidate of Science in History, Associate Professor of the Department of museum work and protection of monuments at the Saint-Petersburg State University.
The formation of Russian museum climatology is inseparably linked with the name of
Mstislav Vladimirovich Farmakovsky (1873–1946), an expert in the field of museum work and conservation. In his research, scientist addressed practices of compliance and stabilizing temperature and humidity levels to preserve cultural heritage. In addition to publishing scholarly works, Mstislav Farmakovsky provided consultative support to museums. This article publishes a guide written by Farmakovsky in 1940 for the State Anti-Religious Museum. It was located in the Saint Isaac’s cathedral building. The museum administration sought his expertise because the monument’s premises were exposed to contamination by micromycetes, which threatened the preservation of museum items. The archival document outlines both preventive and active measures against, which Mstislav Farmakovsky considered most effective. As in his other works, Mstislav Vladimirovich emphasized the crucial role of maintaining optimal temperature and humidity level in the preservation of museum items. This document provides
valuable insights into early 20th-century practices for combating micromycetes-destructors. Additionally, this guide includes information about museum items and equipment used in the exhibition of the State Anti-Religious Museum
Key words: M.V. Farmakovsky, Saint Isaac’s cathedral, micromycetes, conservation, exposition, museum work.
Heritage
Penkin Yu.A., Popov V.A., Rybnikov A.M. On the Clarification of the Boundaries of the Medieval Fortifications of the City of Kozmodemyansk — 116 (Rus.)
Penkin, Yuri Afanasyevich — Chief Specialist of the State Cultural Institution of the Republic of Mari El “Scientific and Production Center for the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments”, Associate Professor of the Volga State Technological University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, yupenkin@yandex.ru;
Popov, Vadim Alekseevich — the senior lecturer of the Department of Woodworking Industries of the Volga State Technological University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, popov_vadim65@mail.ru;
Rybnikov, Alexey Mikhailovich — General Director of the non-profit Orthodox charitable
foundation “Alatyr”, Alatyr, Republic of Chuvashia, Russia, alexeyribnikov@mail.ru.
The article compares two historical drawings of the wooden fortress of Kozmodemyansk
(present-day Mari El Republic), made at different times and with different contents, by Adam Olearius (1636) and by Engelberg Kempfer (1683). The study confirms the authenticity of Kempfer’s drawing, which had not previously been introduced into scientific circulation. The use of this source in combination with some other documents refutes the established scientific view on the unchanged structure of the fortress throughout the entire period of its existence (1583–1700). The landmarks necessary for interpolating the location of the walls and towers of the Kozmodemyansk fortress for the period 1670–1683 are determined. In accordance with the dimensions specified in the “Inventory of Lower Towns of 1701–1704” for 1701 in Kozmodemyansk, a graphic reconstruction of the boundaries of the fortifications with walls and towers for the period 1670–1683 was built using Yandex maps and satellite imagery of Kozmodemyansk.
Key words: city of Kozmodemyansk, Adam Olearius, Engelberg Kempfer, Kremlin, prison, fortress walls and towers, graphic reconstruction.
Juraev Sh.G. Vasily Afanasyevich Shishkin and the Bukhara Museum — 126 (Rus.)
Juraev, Sherali Gulyamovich — Lecturer of the Department of “Social Sciences” of the
Bukhara State Pedagogical Institute. Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Sherali_Gulyamovich@mail.ru
The article describes information about the activities of the famous archaeologist V.A. Shishkin with the Bukhara Museum. The data were prepared on the basis of various articles and archival documents. Especially among them is the transfer to the museum of objects found as a result of excavations in Varakhsha. Contributions in the field of enriching the museum fund of the famous archaeologist are also highlighted. Shishkin is a well-known archaeologist, his contribution to the development of museum business in Bukhara is very great. As an employee of Bukhkomstaris, he tried to improve the quality of the museum’s work and wanted to replenish the museum fund with various exhibits.
Key words: Bukhara, exhibit, fund, museum, main inventory book, V.A. Shishkin, Narshahi, Alisher Navoi, Samanids.
Reviews
Ananiev V.G. Once Again About the Iconography of I.P. Mordvinov and N.E. Sum (In Connection With the New Book by O.B. Kokh and A.S. Turgaev) — 132 (Rus.)
Ananiev, Vitaly Gennadievitch — Doctor of Cultural Studies, Professor, the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Russian Federation, Saint-Petersburg, vgananev@herzen.spb.ru.
The publication devoted to the attribution of images of two figures from the early history
of the Institute of Out-of-School Education in Petrograd — Isaaciy Petrovich Mordvinov and Nikolai Emmanuilovich Sum. In 2023, the monograph by A.S. Turgaev and O.B. Koch “In the Space of Enlightenment. From the History of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture. 1918–1925” was published (SPbGIK Publishing House). The authors offered an interesting and informative picture of the history of the formation of this educational institution in the early Soviet period. The book contains a lot of photographs of teachers and students of the institute of this period. Using a number of visual sources, the author of this publication proposes to clarify the attributions of two professors who stood at the origins of museum training at the institute, I.P. Mordvinov and N.E. Sum.
Key words: the Institute of Out-of-School Education in Petrograd, I.P. Mordvinov, N.E. Sum, museum studies.
Tuminskaya O.A. «Open Letters» of Russian Orientalists (1892–1933).
[Review of:] Ananiev V.G., Bukharin M.D. «“Names That Will Never be Forgotten». Russian Oriental Studies in the Correspondence of V.V. Bartold, N.Ya. Marr and S.F. Oldenburg». Moscow: Varfolomeev A.D., 2020. 400 p. ISBN 978–5–9908831–8–5 — 144 (Rus.)
Tuminskaya, Olga Anatol’evna — Doctor of Art History, Head of the Aesthetic Education
Sector, Methodological Department, The State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, olgmorgun@yandex.ru.
The author of the review examines a joint monograph published in 2020 by well-known
modern historians about the formative years of Soviet Oriental studies. It is noted that the genre of «open letters» was quite widespread at the beginning of the 20th century. as an element of communication with people among themselves and as a method of scientific correspondence, among other things. The book is built on the epistolary parallels of the addressees to each other. From the correspondence, we learn about social conflicts and personal relationships that reveal a cross-section of the epoch, which the biographical method of studying history helps to illuminate. Key words: open letters, Oriental studies, V.V. Bartold, N.Ya. Maar, S.F. Oldenburg.
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