Humour in the Museum Space

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Based on the analysis of various Russian and foreign museum exhibitions, the article examines the experience of using humour in the museum space. The author evaluates the potential of using humour to enhance the quality of museum work, considers specifi c examples of the conceptual use of humour in museum exhibitions, and provides working schemes for museum designers and planners. The transition of museums from the educational and didactic model to the leisure and hedonistic one and their constant efforts to attract new visitors require all new instruments, one of which is humour. Today there are many museums and para-museums that work specifi cally with the topic of laughter and humour, however, in conventional museums, humour is still extremely rare. The global and Russian experience shows the prospects and multifunctional use of humour in the museum space. In the near future, a museum’s main strategic challen ges will require the active using of humour not only in daily activities of the museum, but also in its exposition. Taking into account the cumulative socio-cultural effect of humour, it can become a trigger for global changes in the life of the museum.