Popular art event

Cultural unity

"Long Night of Museums" was a very first initiative appeared before event named "Night of Museums", that has its international signature today. This kind of event, started in Berlin 1997, seems to be a great concept, confirmed by growing tradition year after year


By LJILJANA SAMARDŽIĆ
from Sombor, SERBIA


Popular event named "Night of Museums" was held traditionally this year. On May 16, it proved its success by increasing number of visitors but also by increased number of open locations. For the first time this manifestation has been supported by UNESCO, but also by Council of Europe. In the fifth "Night of Museums" 39 countries had participated, according to French Ministry of culture and communication. However, Belgrade citizens got their sixth opportunity to overview museum's artifacts till late hours.

Secretary General of Council of Europe, Terry Davis, says that the goal of this European initiative was to open museums to everyone from sunset till one o'clock after midnight. The significance of this manifestation is, according to him, "no longer just a matter of fostering awareness of a European identity perceived as the upshot of the diversity and interweaving of cultures. The goal is rather that, through awareness of a multiple cultural belonging with an even deeper imprint on European society, individuals and groups may find more reasons for living together and strengthening the social bond".

Serbian "Night of Museums"

Leading country in this unusual and interesting initiative was France with over 1000 opened museums, which is almost a half number of open locations in Europe. Last year French museums were visited by around 1.5 million people. "The City of Light" offered interesting and wide range of exhibitions in order to attract as many people as possible, especially youth. The way of life has changed, people are circulating for 24 hours a day and till sunset they are overloaded with jobs and that is why museums are opened by night. One of many locations you could have visited in Paris was Louvre where series of films explaining use of black and negative space in art where shown.

For the sixth time, the "Night of Musems" in Serbia has attracted numerous visitors. Manifestation is spreading up by incredible speed. Comparing to previous year, there are 18 cities more to organize this event in 2009. As a result there were 41 cities all together, with over 190 locations and more then 400 different programs.

Over 500,000 people had visited "Night of Museums" and 300,000 of them were in Belgrade. Citizens of the Serbian capital were mostly interested in Military Museums with its "War caricature", White castle with exhibition of royal culinary past, but also Museum of Pedagogy and its "Student's punishments through history". There was agreement with Belgrade public transport officials in order to simplify traveling to desirable locations, so the tickets for "Night of Museums" were used as transport tickets. "My path" was innovative way to simplify planning tour and it can be seen at www.nocmuzeja.rs/mojastaza. Manifestation in Serbia was held from 6pm till 2am.

ICOM's reward in Sombor

According to media reports, Sombor's town museum was visited by around 2000 visitors. There were two permanent displays, and one of them was innovated with DVD presentations, so-called exhibits in exhibit. This ambient of computerized innovations has turned the Museum into interactive surrounding.

Second permanent display is exhibition of contemporary art - Artistic Autumn, which represents collection of Yugoslav art in period between 1961 and 1990. It was accompanied by publication "Artistic Autumn recapitulation - reconstruction - representation", whose author Cedomir Janicic was rewarded by ICOM for publication of the year. ICOM is International COuncil of Museums and it is dedicated to preserving and publishing world natural and cultural inheritance.

Beside two permanent displays, visitors of Sombor Museum had opportunity to see exhibit "Live history of carriages in heart and soul". Carriages from private collections were shown as well as rarely known process of manufacturing and restoring carriages. Some of visitors won a free ride.

"Precise date of Sombor carriage service's beginning is unknown, but they are firstly mentioned in documents from 1885", states media releases of Town Museum of Sombor. Thanks to craftsmen, there are still few carriages in Sombor.

It is obvious that all museums are trying to renew last years exhibits and shows in order to attract more and more visitors, and in that way to complete the "Night of Museums" object - fostering awareness of cultural inheritance and popularizing museum visits. Now we have to be patient till May 2010 to see what the next pleasant surprise is.


(Published: 20.06.2009.)