Museum Congress opened at the International Symposium "Inventing the Future"
The Museum Congress "Museum — A Place for Shaping the Future" began on November 4 as part of the International Symposium "Inventing the Future" at the National Centre RUSSIA. On the first day, foreign and Russian experts discussed the prospects for the development of traditional museums and their role in designing the future. Ahead of the session, 50 museum staff members participated in a preliminary expert survey, which identified the most likely forecasts for the outlook of the museum of the future.
"We will spend three days discussing whether museums are needed in the future, what they should be like. And to what extent museums themselves shape the future. Before starting the discussion, we conducted a small survey among today’s speakers and all participants of the museum panels. We obtained a picture of colleagues' views on how they envision the museum of the future," said moderator Yelizaveta Likhacheva, Director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.
Discussion participants noted that museums play a key role in preserving cultural heritage and shaping the future, serving as platforms for knowledge and experience exchange. According to the speakers’ opinions, state regulation can be beneficial for supporting museums, but excessive bureaucracy may hinder their development and innovation.
Alexander Khramoy, Director of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus, spoke about the development of museum activities in the country and plans for constructing the National Museum of Belarus.
"Today’s platform is very important. It will allow us to take a peek into the future — how we will live, develop, and build friendships. And how we will construct the museum of the future. No one is against museums existing independently. But if there is global support from the state, it helps and provides a new legislative basis for further development," emphasized Alexander Khramoy.
The session highlighted the importance of developing international cooperation and exposition exchanges to strengthen cultural ties, as well as the need to implement modern technologies and multimedia solutions to attract a broader audience and create interactive expositions. Furthermore, the importance of finding a universal language for presenting cultural artifacts that promotes intercultural dialogue and understanding was emphasized.
Azza Al Nuaimi, Head of the Project Management Department at the Museum of the Future (UAE), discussed the key principles of the museum in Dubai.
"Our country is thinking about development and the future. We are concerned about what will happen with ecology, healthcare, and other sectors and aspects of human life. The pieces in our museum tell about the search for solutions to humanity’s problems. The Museum of the Future is not just a museum; it is a place where we experiment in search of a better future," noted Azza Al Nuaimi.
Participants in the discussion also included Viktor Shalay, Director of the State United Museum-Reserve of the History of the Far East named after V.K. Arsenyev; Fayrouz Fekry, Deputy Director of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization from Egypt, and Ekaterina Pronicheva, Director of the State Vladimir-Suzdal Historical, Architectural, and Art Museum-Reserve.
The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is being held from November 4 to 6. Participants include scientists, researchers, futurists, science fiction writers, and representatives from government bodies from 101 countries, including Russia, India, Italy, Iran, China, the UAE, Serbia, the USA, and France. TThe program features over 60 sessions across four tracks: "Future of Human," "Future of Technology," "Future of Multipolar World," and "Future of Civilizations." The program and event broadcasts are available at the website future.russia.ru.
The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is the first event of the National Centre RUSSIA, which was established on July 1, 2024, by the order of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The Centre aims to preserve the legacy of the International RUSSIA EXPO and showcase the achievements of the country and its citizens. The work of the Centre involves federal authorities, state companies, corporations, and regions.