Large Museum Research Articles

THE RESEARCHES IN UZBEKISTAN ON THE STUDY OF OUR HERITAGE STORED IN LARGE MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES OF TURKEY

This articles discusses the researches in Uzbekistan on the study of our heritage stored in large museums and libraries of Turkey. The history of Uzbekistan contributes a special role and specific feature in the pages of the history of world civilization. The spiritual and material heritage of Central Asia has become one of the brightest parts of world culture. Science, architecture, fine and applied arts, literature, poetry, and music have formed themselves a remarkable and breathtaking condition around the world, which in turn indisputably testifies not in vain to name particular eras as “Renaissance” in various countries. However, it can be regrettably stated that many cultural monuments, material objects and cultural works of the Uzbek people have been taken away from our country for various reasons. On the one hand, this fact is piteous in terms of forfeiture and deprivation, and on the other hand, their storage and finding in other countries in undamaged form is awesome. Under this pretext, the great culture of the Uzbek people has been widely known outside Uzbekistan.

What do they make us see: a comparative study of cultural bias in online databases of two large museums

PurposeLarge cultural heritage datasets from museum collections tend to be biased and demonstrate omissions that result from a series of decisions at various stages of the collection construction. The purpose of this study is to apply a set of ethical criteria to compare the level of bias of six online databases produced by two major art museums, identifying the most biased and the least biased databases.Design/methodology/approachAt the first stage, the relevant data have been automatically extracted from all six databases and mapped to a unified ontological scheme based on Wikidata. Then, the authors applied ethical criteria to the results of the geographical distribution of records provided by two major art museums as online databases accessed via museums' websites, API datasets and datasets submitted to Wikidata.FindingsThe authors show that the museums use different artworks in each of its online databases and each data-base has different types of bias reflected by the study variables, such as artworks' country of origin or the creator's nationality. For most variables, the database behind the online search system on the museum's website is more balanced and ethical than the API dataset and Wikidata databases of the two museums.Originality/valueBy applying ethical criteria to the analysis of cultural bias in various museum databases aimed at different audiences including end users, researchers and commercial institutions, this paper shows the importance of explicating bias and maintaining integrity in cultural heritage representation through different channels that potentially have high impact on how culture is perceived, disseminated, contextualized and transformed.

Consistency as a property of visual identification of the exhibition

The article presents the results of a systematic analysis of the visual identification of exhibition projects and identifies the specifics of designing an exhibition identity, which is an important means of communication that attracts visitors. Within the framework of this article, the authors set the task of generalizing the experience of identifying exhibition projects and identifying the specifics of designing an exhibition identity.The subject of the study is the identity of modern exhibition projects in Russia, Germany, Finland, Australia and China, in which all elements, from the logo, printing products, website to the design of the expositions space are interconnected and represent a single complex. The projects created in large museums with a recognizable brand and established reputation among visitors are analyzed, as well as small exhibition projects, the organizers of which can spend minimal funds on implementation. Based on the Finnish experience of designing museum identity, modern approaches to the creation of exhibition projects of various orientations are systematized, in which the exposition and media about it are designed as a single system in which shaping, typography and visual metaphors form a single imaginative solution, expanding the possibilities of advertising media about the exhibition project and using new channels of information transmission. The conclusion is made about the specifics of the exhibition identity and the factors determining it: the specificity of the exhibition as a special event determines an integrated approach to the development of identity to ensure the synergistic interaction of elements of the visual identification system.

Review: Culture Strike: Art and Museums in an Age of Protest, by Laura Raicovich

Review: <i>Culture Strike: Art and Museums in an Age of Protest</i>, by Laura Raicovich

От кризиса до расцвета: современный музей в оценках специалистов

The article is devoted to conflicting assessments of the state of the museum in contemporary museum criticism: museums are experiencing either a protracted crisis or the Golden Age. The public is also criticized: people prefer to come to museums in order to be entertained with the help of new technologies and to achieve a scientific goal, and not in order to fulfill their civic duty (appreciating national treasure). In general, among the objectives of the museum (to form a “national imaginary”, to support a state ideology, to serve as a scientific and educational center, to entertain and give pleasure), the aesthetic is in the last place, but the current negative views about the state of a museum as a sociocultural institution are caused by the general suspicion that aesthetics has come to the fore as the most important factor. In order to correctly assess what is happening, modern approaches to the duties of the museum and the needs of the general public need to take the existing points of view on this subject in both Russian and international specialized literature into account. The analysis of the situation also involves data from Internet resources specializing in reporting on the modern art market, which is closely tied to museum politics. The article compares various approaches to the current situation: the goals and objectives historically attributed to the museum, a review of current exhibitions and of the technology used, a change in museum policy as a whole (in particular the fact that what was considered a profanation of a great idea 10 years ago has become a cultural norm today). Based on the results of the study, the following conclusion can be made: modern museums are indeed extremely commercialized. The most unexpected souvenirs are sold in museum stores. Para-museums openly parasitize on the tourist flow of large museums. More than that, nobody thinks twice about making a profit in any possible way, while simultaneously grumbling about the fall in cultural demands of the public. However, interest in museums among the general population remains unchanged, so asserting the widespread crisis of the modern museum is a very big stretch.

Social and Financial Signalling to Increase Fundraising Revenue in Museums

ABSTRACT Faced with the cutbacks in public funding and the changes taking place in the governance and funding models in the cultural sector, museums must rise to the challenge of devising and implementing strategies to obtain resources from a range of sources and thus reduce public sector dependence. Based on a sample of museums from various countries which use private funding, the present work examines different signals that can impact on private fundraising from donors and sponsors: social signals (reputation and social performance) and financial signals (accountability and fundable projects). The results reveal that whereas donors are concerned with all kinds of social and financial signals, sponsors are mainly attracted by reputation and fundable projects. The study also draws a distinction between small and large museums. While the former should offer private funders flexibility in funding, the latter need to evidence social achievements as well as financial features to attract funders.

Small Museums and Community Partnerships: Equity, Education, and Interpretation

ABSTRACT Partnerships are crucial for museums to reach new audiences, expand their approach, and simply survive in these uncertain times. While practices for effective partnerships between large museums and other institutions are well-documented, the needs of small museums pursuing partnership are less studied. To understand the specific needs of partners, we conducted semi-structured interviews with nine small non-academical informal learning environments (SNAILEs) that focused on their current partnerships and their past experiences with partnerships. Many of the effective partnerships were found to be between similar-sized organizations, while ineffective partnerships predominantly were between a smaller and a larger organization. In analyzing these interviews, we noticed 3 emergent themes about best practices for partnerships. First, if a small institution with a larger organization, it is crucial for shared alignment in goals. Second, SNAILEs need flexibility in funding in order to realize their end of a partnership. Finally, while many SNAILEs find MOUs helpful, they should be written in a way that can be adaptive to their shifting needs. Implementing these practices can be helpful for larger organizations that hope to engage in partnership with SNAILEs.

КАЛИФОРНИЙСКАЯ АКАДЕМИЯ НАУК КАК ЯРКИЙ ПРИМЕР АМЕРИКАНСКОГО МУЗЕЙНОГО ОПЫТА: ИСТОРИЯ И СОВРЕМЕННОСТЬ

The article is dedicated to one of the largest museum centers of natural history in the world - the California Academy of Sciences (San Francisco, USA), which is, since its founding in 1853, both a research and scientific and educational organization. The California Academy of Sciences, in its current version, presents a prime example of the development of basic museum’s concepts in USA: guardianship, corporate museum, museum communication, achieving the goals of sustainable development of society, the involvement in science the population on the basis of the system “STEM-education” (Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics). The article analyzes the history and modern activities of the museum in terms of exhibition features, scientific and educational practice. Architectural, artistic and engineering solutions, features of internal infrastructure, themes, content and design of the exhibition complex reflect the stated national mission to "explore, explain and sustain"), in accordance with the implementation of the declared environmental concept of sustainable development (fighting global climate warming, the development of technologies of energy conservation, cleanliness and waste of production, etc.). On the basis of our own museum observations, analysis of literary data, we can conclude that museums as social institutions and interactive technologies used in the educational process are most suitable for the task of introducing the widest range of citizens to science and culture. The example of the California Academy of Sciences provides important guidelines for the development of museums in our country.

Screening potential insect vectors in a museum biorepository reveals undiscovered diversity of plant pathogens in natural areas.

Phytoplasmas (Mollicutes, Acholeplasmataceae), vector‐borne obligate bacterial plant parasites, infect nearly 1,000 plant species and unknown numbers of insects, mainly leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Deltocephalinae), which play a key role in transmission and epidemiology. Although the plant–phytoplasma–insect association has been evolving for >300 million years, nearly all known phytoplasmas have been discovered as a result of the damage inflicted by phytoplasma diseases on crops. Few efforts have been made to study phytoplasmas occurring in noneconomically important plants in natural habitats. In this study, a subsample of leafhopper specimens preserved in a large museum biorepository was analyzed to unveil potential new associations. PCR screening for phytoplasmas performed on 227 phloem‐feeding leafhoppers collected worldwide from natural habitats revealed the presence of 6 different previously unknown phytoplasma strains. This indicates that museum collections of herbivorous insects represent a rich and largely untapped resource for discovery of new plant pathogens, that natural areas worldwide harbor a diverse but largely undiscovered diversity of phytoplasmas and potential insect vectors, and that independent epidemiological cycles occur in such habitats, posing a potential threat of disease spillover into agricultural systems. Larger‐scale future investigations will contribute to a better understanding of phytoplasma genetic diversity, insect host range, and insect‐borne phytoplasma transmission and provide an early warning for the emergence of new phytoplasma diseases across global agroecosystems.

Making the Invisible Visible: Underwater Malta—A Virtual Museum for Submerged Cultural Heritage

The seabed can be considered as the world’s largest museum, and underwater sites explored and studied so far provide priceless information on human interaction with the sea. In recognition of the importance of this cultural resource, UNESCO, in its 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, determined that objects/sites should be preserved in situ, whilst also advocating for public access and sharing. The implementation of these principles is not without difficulties. Some states have opened up underwater sites to the public—mainly through diving, yet the vast majority of the world’s population does not dive. In Malta, 7000 years of human occupation is reflected in and on the landscape, and recent offshore surveys show that the islands’ long and complex history has also left an indelible mark on the seabed. Besides difficulties related to their protection and management, these sites also present a challenge with regard to sharing and communicating. Recent advances in underwater imaging and processing software have accelerated the development of 3D photogrammetry of submerged sites and the idea for a virtual museum was born. The virtual museum, UnderwaterMalta, was created out of a need to share the plethora of underwater sites located on the seabed of the Maltese Islands. A multitude of digital tools are used to share and communicate these sites, offering visitors a dry dive into submerged sites that would otherwise remain invisible to the vast majority of the public. This paper discusses the basic principle of the sharing of underwater cultural heritage and the difficulties that beset the implementation of such a principle. A detailed explanation and evaluation of the methods used to gather the raw data needed is set in the context of the particular and unique working conditions related to deep water sites. The workings of this paper are based on first-hand experiences garnered through the recording of numerous wrecks over the years and the creation and launch of The Virtual Museum-Underwater Malta—a comprehensive virtual museum specifically built for “displaying” underwater archaeological sites that are otherwise invisible to the general public.

Characterization and Identification of Varnishes on Copper Alloys by Means of UV Imaging and FTIR

The application of varnishes on the surface of metal objects has been a very common practice since antiquity, both for protective and aesthetic purposes. One specific case concerns the use of tinted varnishes on copper alloys in order to mimic gilding. This practice, especially flourishing in the 19th century for scientific instruments, decorative objects, and liturgical items, results in large museum collections of varnished copper alloys that need to be preserved. One of the main challenges for conservators and restorers deals with the identification of the varnishes through non-invasive and affordable analytical techniques. We hereby present the experimental methodology developed in the framework of the LacCA and VERILOR projects at the Haute École ARC of Neuchâtel for the identification of gold varnishes on brass. After extensive documentary research and analytical campaigns on varnished museum objects, various historic shellac-based varnishes were created and applied by different methods on a range of brass substrates with different finishes. The samples were then characterized by UV imaging and infrared spectroscopy before and after artificial ageing. The comparative study of these two techniques was performed for different thicknesses of the same varnish and for different shellac grades in order to implement an identification methodology based on simple non-invasive examination and analytical tools, which are accessible to conservators.

Monastic and temple sacristies during the prerevolutionary period

Throughout many centuries, the Russian Orthodox Church has been creating and preserving inestimable historical and cultural heritage, including the works of the ancient Russian art, ceremonial ware, and other artifacts. The second half of the XIX century marks the surge in preservation of monuments, and the Church takes active part in such activity. For the purpose of preservation of ecclesiastical antiquity were established the church museums. In the pre-revolutionary period, the museums functioned on the premises of theological academies and seminaries, dioceses, temples and monasteries, and other structural divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church. The group of church museums of that time is poorly studied. The subject of this research is the sacristy collections of temples and monasteries. On the example of sacristies under the major temples and monasteries of Novgorod, Pskov, Yaroslavl and Rostov, the article provides a retrospective overview of the activity of the large museums of antiquities. Based on the survived description of sacristies, the author analyzes the content of their collections. The content of such compilations was affected by the cultural and commercial ties of the cities. For example, the Novgorod sacristies preserve the items associated to the spread of Orthodoxy in Rus&amp;rsquo;, while the Yaroslavl museums of antiquities feature the monuments of later period. Based on the activity of the aforementioned collections, the conclusion is made that they carried out the functions of discovery, preservation, study, and translation of cultural heritage. Therefore, the prerevolutionary monastic and temple museums of antiquities performed the role of church museums. Further development of the group of church museums on the premises of temples and monasteries was hindered by the historical transformations of the XX century.

A Non-invasive Investigation of Egyptian Faience Using Long Wavelength Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) at 2 μm

ABSTRACT Egyptian faience is a non-clay ceramic semi-transparent material formed of a quartz core and alkali-lime glaze. Previous investigations have identified production techniques by using microstructure images obtained from invasive methods. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive 3D imaging technique that produces virtual cross-sections of transparent and semi-transparent materials. A previous study by one of the authors demonstrated the feasibility of non-invasive investigation of microstructures of Egyptian faience using 930 nm OCT, but the limited probing depth prevented viewing down to the quartz core of the objects. This paper shows that an in-house developed OCT system using a longer wavelength (2 µm) was able to image the full microstructure from the top glaze layer down to the core, allowing rapid and non-invasive studies of intact objects and demonstrating the potential for surveying large museum collections. OCT virtual cross-section images at 5 wavelengths, 550, 810, 930, 1300 and 1960nm, were compared and the optimum wavelength for OCT investigation of Egyptian faience microstructure was found to be 2 μm.

To adopt or not to adopt? A co-evolutionary framework and paradox of technology adoption by small museums

ABSTRACT Technology is changing the traditional approach to museums, i.e. ‘looking and no touching’, encouraging visitors to adopt the new ‘playing and interacting’ notion. However, previous qualitative literature has focused attention on this phenomenon for large museums, without: providing insights on small museums (SMs), which form the majority worldwide; identifying whether technology adoption differences exist according to SM ownership; and, identifying enablers and inhibitors of technology adoption. To fill these gaps, directors/curators of 194 Italian SMs took part in a survey that was analysed through a mixed quantitative (Chi-squared tests and t-test) and qualitative (mixed thematic analysis) approach. Results show that: (i) the most used technologies by SMs are the website, online presence on non-proprietary channels, and social media; and (ii) public and private SMs have an equal level of technology adoption. Moreover, the co-evolutionary interpretation of enablers and inhibitors provides a framework for technology adoption in SMs, also substantiating the existence of a co-evolving technology paradox.

Directors’ Perspective: A Transatlantic Discussion on the Role of Museums

ABSTRACT In November 2019, the Smithsonian hosted the Transatlantic Seminar for Museum Curators and Educators: Museums as Spaces for Social Discourse and Learning. The program brought together German and American museum professionals and was co-sponsored by the Leibniz Institution, the Smithsonian Institution, and Fulbright Germany. On July 20, 2020 Britta Horstmann and Barbara Stauffer, two of the seminar participants, had the pleasure of sitting down with museum directors from two of the sponsoring organizations: Volker Mosbrugger, Director General of the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research, a member of the Leibniz Institution, and Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The lively conversation covered a variety of topics, ranging from the imperative of sharing stories about an object’s provenance to the power of harnessing citizen scientists to the importance of digitization, and suggested ideas for how U.S. and German museums might create a cooperative network for the future. While their perspective(s) are based on their experience(s) with large natural history museums, many of these themes are relevant for smaller, non-science museums as well.

Perceptions of Possibilities: An Exploration of Transatlantic Collaboration

ABSTRACT The act of co-authoring an article across two languages (German and English) and three institutional contexts (a large science and technology museum, a university-based small art museum and a university-based small anthropology museum) led to numerous instances in which the meaning of particular terms had to be both articulated and negotiated to ensure understanding. This was uniquely important given that the article being written was about collaboration and cooperation. The process for doing so took place in the digital margins of our shared document, creating a dataset that could be interrogated through further conversation and careful analysis. While we recognized that translation work was happening, this analysis led us to understand how translation and collaboration are conjoined. We argue that all collaborations require acts of translation as participants establish shared understandings, build relationships, and decenter personal, cultural, and institutional assumptions.

The Intertwined Past, Present, and Future of Local Natural History Museum and Amateur Naturalism in Tampere, Finland

AbstractThe history of natural history museums (NHMs) is closely tied with amateur naturalism, now often discussed as citizen science. This paper discusses the relations between a local NHM and amateur naturalists in Tampere, Finland, in three temporalities: the past, the present, and the future. The analysis highlights the contingencies and materialities of the relations between the museum and naturalists, showing them to be at times close, at other times distant. Local NHMs are facing the same expectations and challenges as larger museums, such as the tension between their research and education functions, and making their collections digitally available. NHMs are expected to participate in creating sustainable futures, looking far ahead. The case proposes the strength of local NHMs may be their embeddedness in local networks and their agility to react to ecosocial changes.

THE MILITARY HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UKRAINIAN MUSEUM NETWORK FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT THE XIXth – AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXth CENTURIES

The purpose of the study is to analyze the causes of the first museums’ emergence and development in Ukraine at the turn of the XIXth – at beginning of the XXth centuries based on the military historical collections. The methodology of the research is based on the principles set and the cognition methods usage, the application of which was carried out with the reliance on the interdisciplinary approaches in order to discover the purpose of the research. The historical genetic, historical comparative, historical typological and historical systemic methods of the historical cognition were applied, as the scientific and source base of the article were developed on their basis. The scientific novelty is that for the first time a number of the political, socio-economic and cultural factors of the first museums’ emergence on the territory of Ukraine on the basis of the military historical collections were investigated, due to a wide range of published and unpublished archival documents. It is established that most of these military historical collections do not quite correspond to the content of the scientific term “collecting”, but they have become the basis of purposeful and systematic collection of objects of the museum importance, which preceded the military historical museums’ emergence. It is proved that these military historical collections were diverse, they presented the military paraphernalia, awards, portrait collections, family archives, book collections, things of daily use and, etc. The Conclusions. The amateur gathering at the turn of the ХVІІІth – ХІХth centuries in the field of traditional culture, it evolved into a scientific-based collection gradually. In the XIXth and at the beginning of the XXth centuries a rather large museums’ network emerged and functioned, owing mainly to the private initiative of individuals and numerous scientific, cultural, educational and church societies, committees, commissions, educational institutions, local self-government bodies.

To the History of the Former Deacon’s Wing: a Memorial Plaque to Hryhorii Kosynka as an Image of Historical Memory and an Element of a Cultural Heritage Object

The purpose of the study is to emphasize the importance of including in the register of cultural monuments and being part of the State Architectural and Historical Reserve “The Museum of St. Sophia Cathedral” (now – The National Sanctuary Complex “Sophia of Kyiv” architectural monuments of the 19th century, a former deacon’s wing, in order to preserve the integrity of the architectural ensemble of the Kyiv-Sophia Cathedral, as well as to emphasize the connection of the Strilets-Morozovs family with social, religious and cultural processes that took place in the 20s – the 30s of the twentieth century on the territory of Ukraine. The research methodology is based on general scientific and special methods, in particular, the historical method is used. Methods of bibliographic, archival, iconographic research, as well as empirical methods such as observation, field study and comparison are applied. The scientific novelty of the study is that for the first time in the context of the architectural monument’s history of the late 19th century, the former cathedral (deacon’s) wing, one of the aspects of the Hryhorii Kosynka’s memorization was considered, while the memorial plaque to the writer of the Ukrainian shot revival acts as one of the images of historical memory, and is also an element of the cultural heritage object. Conclusions. The installation of the memorial plaque for Hryhorii Kosynka meant the appearance of a new “place of memory”. It became an integral part of the history of the former cathedral (deacon’s) wing. Its inclusion in the architectural and historical reserve favourably affected the preservation of the architectural monument of the late 19th century and the integrity of the architectural ensemble of one of the largest museum complexes in Ukraine.

National Museum of Indonesia : Virtual Tour Experience

This article aims to discuss the implementation of exhibition spaces in virtual tour museums in Indonesia. The case study taken is the National Museum of Indonesia, the largest museum in Indonesia and has many collections. In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic occurred globally, including in Indonesia, which limited activities in public facilities. One of the effects of this incident was the closure of museum facilities. The National Museum of Indonesia is one of the museums that has finally opened an online virtual tour facility to deal with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic problem. In the exhibition interior design science, there are several elements and design systems applied to get the things they want when visiting an exhibition, including getting clear information and education and experiencing the recreation obtained from space's activities and atmosphere. The virtual exhibition space will undoubtedly be different from the conventional exhibition space. The research carried out a method by collecting data based on a survey of 121 respondents, who conducted a virtual tour of the museum directly and assessed the room's situation and the clarity of the information obtained. This study's results are in the form of experiences experienced and felt by visitors, which can be used as input for the improvement of the virtual tour of the National Museum of Indonesia in particular, and museums in Indonesia in general.