OPEN AIR MUSEUM (Muzeum pod Niebem)

• Authors: Golembnik Andrzej , Grubka Marek
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The dynamic growth of construction investments within the range of historical towns poses ever new challenges for archaeologists. Increasingly large investment areas and smaller demands made by the conservation offices compel researchers to apply simplified forms of investigations. This tendency has an adverse effect not only on the scientific merits of the performed work but also causes a decline of the social prestige for years enjoyed by archaeology. In numerous Polish towns archaeologists simply do not have sufficient time to conclude the results of excavation undertakings, not to mention their publication. Museum storerooms are bursting at the seams, while showrooms are empty. Consequently, the excavations carried out at the request of the Dominican monastery in Gdansk involved presenting the excavation site to the public and turning it into a tourist attraction. In 2000 the first rather timid attempt at displaying the investigations was the removal of a single span in the fencing surrounding the excavation site. A year later the whole site was opened to the public on Sundays. Visitors were also offered a book presenting the outcome of the first season. In the same year, a view platform was organised for the durationof the Dominican Fair; the platform also featured a museum exposition of the unearthed monuments. The visitors received an information booklet and the course of the work was explained by an archaeologist . The whole initiative proved to be a success - in a single fortnight about 3 000 visitors toured the excavation site. Encouraged by these results, the Dominicans and the archaeologists decided to develop this form of popularising archaeology. In 2002 the offer was expanded by publishing a popular scientific book on the history of Dominican property in Gdansk and bringing the reader closer to the research performed by the archaeologists. The archaeological exposition, together with the view platform, became known as the Open Air Museum, toured by about 10 000 visitors. Other ventures included history lessons organised for primary school pupils. The following season proved just as successful. The offer now included nighttime lectures of the so-called Open Air Academy, accompanied by screenings of multi-media presentations illustrating the history of the town and the results of the archeological digs. The conception of the Open Air Museum and excavations accessible to the public has already become a permanent item in the calendar of cultural events in Gdansk and is being emulated elsewhere.

Keywords

EN

OPEN AIR ACADEMY (GDANSK); OPEN AIR MUSEUM (GDANSK)

Discipline

• ARTS_&_ARCHITECTURE: ARTS & ARCHITECTURE

• Publisher: Krajowy Ośrodek Badań i Dokumentacji Zabytków
• Journal: Muzealnictwo
• Year: 2006
• Issue: 47
• Pages: 62-68
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Golembnik Andrzej

author

Grubka Marek

• Andrzej Golembnik, no address given, contact the journal editor

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

10PLAAAA07985