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Description
The “Open Depository” Project is unique in its idea, construction and technical realization. There are not many similar projects in Europe and certainly not in the Slovak Republic where museums would open their depositories to the wide public. Collections of the SNU Museum consist of 16,776 pieces of properly registered objects of significant value for the Slovak nation. They are expertly processed according to the cataloguing principles and stored within limited possibilities according to the structure of collections in several depositories. The storage facilities were built in several stages and consist mainly of office cabinets, storage racks and wooden rifle stands. Nowadays, the above-mentioned deposit no longer covers the actual needs of protection and care for the collections of unique value within the Act No. 206/2009 Coll. - on Museums and Galleries and Protection of Objects of Cultural Value, as amended. Their damage may lead to the termination of the informative value of the object.
Summary of project results
The Museum of the Slovak National Uprising (hereinafter referred to as the Museum of the SNU) has long been trying to bring new perspectives to the concept of caring for museum collections, as well as the use of the latest technologies in their presentation to the public. The optimal solution was the creation of the Open Depository (visible collection storage), which can offer more space and improve the management and preservation of the museum''s collections. The project aimed to address several issues, mainly the issue of insufficient storage for the museum collections, e.g. poor environmental conditions and lack of space. The Museum of the SNU has around 16,000 collection items in its collections, of this only a few are able to be part of the main exhibition. Therefore, the Open Depository project also aims to offer visitors access to more historical artefacts. The main part of the Open Depository – the visible storage – is a space where the collections are stored in shelves specially adapted to the type of objects in order to be visually accessible to visitors even when stored in bulk.
In the centre of the visible storage is a visible conservation laboratory. It functions as a regular professional workplace and offers visitors to observe individual conservation interventions. Not only were the conservators given a new workshop, they are now able to explain and showcase to visitors their work and its importance regarding preservation and restoration of historical artefacts. Another part of the Open Depository premises is a study (with professional services). It was designed to serve the professional public.
The Open Depository project has created a brand-new space for the protection of the collection objects and has provided suitable conditions for their storage. Its premises have optimal climate and light conditions, optimum humidity levels and newest security systems. The space for education within the Open Depository has created a unique place that combines the museum''s basic needs in protecting and managing its collections, as well as the needs of the general public to learn more about its history. The conservators’ role in the care of collections objects is very important. They are involved in all activities related to the storage, handling, and treatment of collection objects. They make sure that the objects last as long as possible in the best physical condition. The conservation workplace of the Open Depository aims to introduce the work of conservators to museum visitors by means of conservation demonstrations, presentation videos, and direct outputs in the form of conserved objects, all this in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of ongoing professional care of collection objects and the preservation of their aesthetic and historical value.
The Open Depository of the Museum of the SNU consists of three parts: the visible collection storage, the conservation laboratory/workshop, and the study. Educational programmes take place in the middle of the visible storage. For educational purposes, replicas of weapons, armaments and equipment used by the partisans were purchased within the project. The use of replicas is an important part of education that aims to highlight the dangers of war and how these conflicts affect people''s lives. Using stories of ordinary people helps to create positive moral values that are still relevant today. The aim of this type of education is to explain the role, significance and place of the Museum of the SNU in society as an institution responsible for preserving cultural heritage, but at the same time to present one of the most important events in the modern history of the Slovak nation - the Slovak National Uprising. The activities and methods of education also enable the teaching to focus on the prevention of the manifestations of modern extremism, racism and social intolerance.
Moreover, the museum published Povstalecké zvesti (Insurgent News) – a contemporary newspaper, as an example of contemporary journalism on the topic of the Uprising. It is a didactic material designed not only for schools but also for the general public. In the form of interesting facts, it serves to introduce the life during the Uprising through the contemporary press, which was published from August 1944, not only in the Insurgent territory, but also on the other side of the front in Bratislava - the centre of the People''s regime. This comparison provides a closer look at the propaganda surrounding the outbreak of the SNU, but also its course, results and significance. Povstalecké zvesti are conceived in three volumes from the declaration of the Uprising to the liberation of the Czechoslovakia in 1945.
Another significant outcome of the project was the cooperation with the Norwegian partner museum – The Narvik War and Peace Centre. This museum also focuses on the Second World War and the anti-fascist resistance as it researches, documents and disseminates information on issues related to war and conflict today. This cooperation was based on the mutual exchange of experiences with the visible collection storages, which were created simultaneously in both museums, in the form of seminars, conferences, publication of proceedings, exchange visits and the implementation of workshops on the topic of active and passive conservation of collections and education through museum objects.
Summary of bilateral results
The biggest benefits of the bilateral cooperation with the Norwegian partner museum have been: Two-day-long International conference: Museum Depository Modernisation and Conditions for their Opening to the Broader Public (March 2021)Three-day-long museological seminar and workshop (October 2023)Three-day-long Final Conference (March 2024)In the meantime, the employees of the Museum of the SNU and The Narvik War and Peace Centre had the opportunity to compare experiences through exchanges directly at these two institutions. These exchanges were of great benefit to both partners.The abovementioned events have been the greatest contributions strengthening the bilateral relations. In cooperation with the education department of the Narvik War and Peace centre, an educational programme has been designed and written, which can be used in the future in both museums for educational purposes, as it uses similar stories of the anti-fascist resistance that took place in Banská Bystrica and Narvik.In terms of continuing bilateral cooperation with the Norwegian partner museum, a member of the Museum of the SNU, together with the Deputy Director of The Narvik War and Peace Centre, applied to present the outcomes of the project at the ICOM conference: Museum Storage: Current Situation and New challenges:https://icom.museum/en/news/call-for-papers-museum-storage-current-situation-and-new-challenges/There we would have the opportunity to present this international project to the professional public at a global level. The list of presenters will be known at the end of June. Furthermore, the employees of the Norwegian museum have been invited to the 80th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising celebrations (Oslavy SNP) in Banská Bystrica.