On 25 October 2005, the seminar “The Virtual Gulag Museum”: from concept to realization” took place in St Petersburg.
On 25 October 2005 the Research and Information Center Memorial, the European University of St Petersburg and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation hosted the seminar “The Virtual Gulag Museum of the Gulag: from concept to realisation.”
The seminar took place in the White Hall of the European University, ul. Gagarinskaia, dom 3.
The participants of the seminar discussed the project’s current stage and options for its further development. The seminar was attended by museum staff and scholars from Russia, the Ukraine, Latvia, and Lithuania. During the course of the seminar, the project’s website was presented.
Principal themes.
Conceptual guidelines
1. Definition of the concept of the “Museum of the Gulag” – how the museums present themselves, our selection criteria for entry on the register.
2. Definition of the “Exhibition of the Gulag” – criteria of the collectors, the contributors and the curators. Ambiguous criteria, erroneous restrictions. Selection criteria in situ.
3. Frameworks- chronological, thematic, geographical.
Standardisation of material
1. Peculiarities of the “Gulag collections”
2. Principles of description and display of museum exhibits
3. Conservation, principles and practice of describing the exhibits for the virtual Museum of the Gulag.
Explanation of the material
1. Visual methods of demonstrating the exhibition
2. Texts and reference tools
3. Tours
Portrait of the visitors
1. The museum as a visitor
2. The academic community
3. The general public
4. The chance visitor
