On September 8, Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing turned 30. Over the years it has remained the only museum of a kind in the republic and became one of the most popular museum among the visitors of all ages and countries of origin.
In this anniversary year we wondered: What is our work? And decided to tell you about it. We chose representatives of different museum professions - head of a museum, senior researcher and museum keeper - and asked them 10 most popular questions we usually hear from those unaware of the museum life secrets. Having celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing we are ready to present you a full-version of the "UNformal Interview".
Museum staff are also presenting you a greeting video with materials dated back from the opening till nowadays. This video is a thank-you for our visitors who give us inspiration, for our employees both former and current, since without them such a significant cultural phenomenon as Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing would be impossible.
On the eve of the anniversary we opened the exhibition called “To the Most Live Museum with the Wishes ...” (editions with dedicatory inscriptions from the Museum-Reserve’s collection) dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of the Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing.
At the exhibition you can see materials related to the preparation for the museum’s opening, books from the first acquisitions with donative inscriptions to the museum. A special place in the exhibition is taken by books with inscriptions made by famous Belarusian writers and artists, as well as publications and audiobooks by Polotsk authors with their autographs. Not only books, but also photographs, the first book of reviews and other items are associated with the opening of the Museum of Belarusian Printing and the initial years of its work. Various materials demonstrate the cooperation of the Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing with various institutions, publishing houses, organizations. The Museum's photo chronicle consists of photographs from different years, which show certain aspects of museum life.
Solemn exhibition opening took place on September 8th during the celebration of the museum’s birthday. It gathered numerous guests including the head of the Department of Culture of Vitebsk Oblast Executive Comittee Piotr Podgurskiy and the head of Polotsk Rayon Executive Department Igor Markovich. Collegues from different museums joined the celebration: head of the National Historical Museum Pavel Sapotko, head of the National Art Museum Vladimir Prokoptsov, head of the State museum of the History of Belarusian Literature Mikhail Rybakov, head of the State Literature Museum of Yanka Kupala Elena Leshkovivh, head of Vitebsk Oblast Musum of Regional Studies Tatsiana Starinskaya and Vitebsk Oblast Museum of the Hero of Soviet Union M. F. Shmyriov Irina Shishkova.
The most long-awaited guest was the first head of the museum, the author of its scientific concept - the meaning and logic of the museum - Galina Ladisova, that at the moment runs the Museum of Minsk City History. Recollections of the museum’s founder as well as the artist Igor Kurzhalov, who worked on the artistic design of the museum exhibition alongside with Sergey Dmitriev, were not only informative but also emotionally intense.
The guests brought numerous presents for the museum. And as never before, the statement - the best gift is a book - was relevant. Even the cake presented by the city administration was in the shape of an open book.
The museum was also congratulated by its many friends, who for various reasons could not be there on its birthday. Such an opportunity was provided by advanced digital communications. At the end of July in the Vkontakte museum group the "Vinshavalny Marathon" was announced: friends and colleagues sent their congratulations to the museum in private messages or by mail, and on their birthday from morning to evening, employees posted them in the feed. We invite you to see them too!
On September 10, a round table “Communicative Practices of Actualizing the Monuments of Book Culture” dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing was held. The purpose of the round table was to exchange experience, discuss the problems and prospects of traditional and innovative approaches to communication "book - person".
Employees of museums, libraries, archives, scientific and educational institutions were invited to participate. Unfortunately, 2020 turned out to be a difficult year for all of us, personal meetings were limited to a minimum, so it was decided to hold the planned round table in absentia. It was attended by researchers from Minsk, Polotsk, as well as from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev and Budapest. Papers were sent on the history of books and printing, Belarusian, Russian and Jewish books, the way they were displayed and the experience of working with them. Our rarities, which are now in Hungary were also presented.
We publish the submitted abstracts of speeches and presentations of the participants of the round table. You can get acquainted with them following the link: http://book.polotsk.museum.by/node/51738.