Regional museum of shirak

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REGIONAL MUSEUM OF SHIRAK

MUSEUM

(EXHIBIT DATABASE , CATALOGUE)

UNESCO

Division of Cultural Heritage

MUSEUM

(SOS... Museum Project)

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Location of Implementation of the Project....Town of Gyumri, Shirak Region,

Republic of Armenia

Duration of the Project................................... 12 Months

National Implementing Organisation.............Regional Museum of Shirak
International Organisation............................. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
Total Cost of the Project Implementation.......15.000 Euro
Brief Description of the Project
To acquire stock and equipments for preservation of the museum exhibits. To create a complete databank and catalogue of all the collections of the Regional Museum of Shirak.

To assist to the museum’s activities aimed towards the integration in the international cultural and scientific circles, with the help of distribution of the catalogue via CD and published catalogues..

1. Context and the objectives of the Project
The difficulties of the economic depression in the Republic of Armenia is even more obvious in the earthquake zone, and especially in the town of Gyumri (former Leninakan), where the consequences of the earthquake of the 1988 have not been overcome yet. Despite the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the international community, the town has not been cleaned of the earthquake rubbles yet, thousands of families have not their own houses, the unemployment and the migration rates are high. The situation of the museums is very drastic but unfortunately, the state would be in a position to undertake the reconstruction and reopening of the museums only once the primary issues of the construction of houses, health-care and educational institutions have been solved.
1.1. The Regional Museum of Shirak was established in 1930. During the seventy years of its existence, tens of thousands of exhibits which represent the material and spiritual culture of the historic region of Shirak have been collected at his museum. Many of these exhibits are unique and have particular scientific and cultural value. The exhibits of the Museum are classified in the collections of archaeology, ethnography, anthropology, numismatics, fine arts, as well as other documentary materials of new and newest periods of history.
The Museum is very actively engaged in a co-operation with the state and local authorities, with the Department of Preservation of Monuments, with the non-governmental organisations and with the scientific, cultural and educational centres in and outside of Armenia. The joint archaeological expedition of the Regional Museum of Shirak, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia and the Bretagne Archaeological Service regularly organises excavations of the archaeological monuments in the Shirak region.

Since 1998, as a result of the joint efforts of expedition of the Regional Museum and the Lyon Scientific-Research Centre of Oriental Researches, within the framework of the INTAS Project productive excavations were held in the Shirak Region, aimed at finding stone-age monuments. Within the framework of the same project the Regional Museum has prepared twenty scientific illustrated articles in English about the new discoveries of archaeological monuments in the Shirak Region and artefacts excavated in those monuments, and has send the articles to France for publication. Currently work is underway with the Paris Centre of Historic Research for the publication of the catalogue entitled “Numismatic Treasures of Shirak” which is due for the year 2002. Catalogue will present almost 800 ancient and medieval coins discovered in the Shirak Region.

Upon the initiative of the Regional Museum of Shirak , the “First Scientific Congress on the Historical-Cultural Heritage of Shirak Region” was held in 1994, which since then has become traditional and is held once every two years in Gyumri.

Despite the difficult conditions of the post-earthquake period, the Shirak Museum of Ethnography has organised several exhibitions in Gyumri and Yerevan, such as “The Ancient Culture of Shirak Region”, “5000 Years of Pottery in Shirak Region”, “Belgian Artists for Earthquake-hit Leninakan”, etc.

The Regional Museum of Shirak has established direct ties with the Museum of Dobré in Nantes since 1990. The result of this co-operation was the reciprocal internship of the personnel of the museums, restoration of a number of unique archaeological exhibits in France, etc. As a result of this co-operation also two large exhibitions entitled “Treasures of Ancient Armenia” were held in France – in Nantes, in 1996 and in Lyon, in 1998. The scientific catalogue of these exhibitions received the state award of France and article about it was placed in the “Universalia” Encyclopaedia.
1.2. The Museum collection is currently in a conserved condition, due to the absence of the Museum building. The exhibits are currently housed in a very small building which itself is in an emergency situation after the earthquake and is used basically as a place for storage of the exhibition. In the current conditions it is impossible to guarantee the required thermal and humidity regime for the preservations of the exhibits. The absence of heating in the storage houses during the winter months, drastic changes of temperature and humidity are having disastrous effect especially on the archaeological metal and on the paintings and drawings.

The Regional Museum of Shirak has neither capacity to exhibit its treasures, nor publish information about them. The Museum currently does not have an exposition and the thousands of exhibits are not accessible for the public, and stay out of cultural and scientific circulation. Despite the difficult conditions, the Museum has created appropriate conditions for the specialists and archaeology, ethnography, art and other students to get acquainted and work with the museum collection, as well as for small-size tourist groups to visit the Museum.

In the current conditions, the efforts undertaken only by the Regional Museum of Shirak aimed at the preservation, restoration and promoting the tens of thousands of exhibits, which are considered both national and international heritage, cannot bring the desired result. The existing social-economic depression in the region hit by the earthquake of 1988 and the continuing lack of required resources has predestined many historical-cultural treasured to destruction.

In the current conditions the Regional Museum of Shirak is not only powerless to carry out its principal functions, but also is not in a position to be actively engaged in the processes of establishment of democracy, founding of the civic society, support the efforts for the reconstruction of the earthquake zone, creation of new jobs, fulfilment of tourism and infrastructure development projects, raising of the cultural level of the society.

1.3. The need for the soonest realisation of the project is justified not only by the tragic conditions of the Regional Museum of Shirak and in which the historical-cultural treasures are kept there, but also by the difficult social-economic conditions in Gyumri and the resulting moral and psychological atmosphere. The inability of the people of Gyumri and the Shirak Region to get in touch with the centuries-old history, culture and art of their hometown and region is a factor which negatively affects to the moral and psychological atmosphere.

In the result of the realisation of the project the Regional Museum of Shirak will reopen, new and guaranteed jobs will be created. The Museum will get extensive opportunities for collecting, preserving, restoring and promoting historical-cultural treasures. Creation of the computerised databank, as well as publication of catalogues will assist to the international scientific and cultural integration. New opportunities for the co-operation with foreign cultural, scientific and educational centres and institutions will be created.

Reopening of the Regional Museum of Shirak and enlargement of scientific and cultural circulation will help increase the cultural and scientific visits, will support the tourism development.

Opportunity to get in touch with the rich historical-cultural heritage of the town of Gyumri and Shirak Region will help raise the level of culture of the population and its moral-psychological rehabilitation.

1.4. The project is supposed to be implemented within the period of one year. A dynamic staff will be formed which will be subject to relevant changes according to the objectives of different phases.

Parallel to the implementation of the project preconditions for ensuring the continuity and further development of the project shall be created.

1.5. The Regional Museum of Shirak is in cooperation with the UNESCO since 2000.In 2001 the UNESCO accepted two projects presented by the Shirak Regional Museum which are 1. MUSEUM (SOS... Museum Project) with the budget of 485.900 USD and 2. DRASKHANAKERT (Scientific-Cultural and Educational Project) with the budget of 285.000 USD. The search process of corresponding donors are in progress now.

In 2003 The UNESCO funded the creation of the web site of the Shirak Regional Museum /www.shirakmuseum.am/.

The current project was presented by the Armenian UNESCO National Committee to the UNESCO but it was not funded.
2. Project Objectives
2.1. To acquire stock and equipments and to create possible conditions for job, storage of the exhibits, and for preservation and restoration. To enrich the museum exhibits. To create computerised databank of the museum exhibits.

To prepare thematic catalogues of the Regional Museum of Shirak. To enlarge cultural and scientific co-operation with the Armenian and foreign scientific, cultural and educational centres. To assist to the integration of the Armenian culture in the world cultural structures.

2.2. To assist to the raising of the role of museums in the spheres of culture, science, education, economy and tourism.

To carry out activities aimed at familiarising the Armenian people with the historical-cultural heritage of different nations of the world.

To participate actively in raising the level of cultural education of the population, as well as actively help building civic society and in establishing democracy.
3. Main inputs.
3.1. Staff.

A dynamic staff will be formed which will be subject to relevant changes according to the objectives of different phases.

N	Name of the Post / Position	Number of People	Duration of the Position
1	Project Director	1	12 months
2	Curator of the museum property	1	12 months
3	Scientific Staff	3	12 months
4	Computer Programmer, Program Administrator	1	12 months
5	Computer Operator	1	12 months
6	Restoration Artist	2	12 months
7	Painter	1	12 months
8	Photographer	1	4 months
9	Interpreters/Translators	2	10 months
10	Invited Specialists		due to contract

3.2. Equipment

Scanner: HP ScanJet 5550c
PC: Intel Pentium 4 HT 3.06GHz, 384 Mb RAM, 80 Gb HDD, 128 Mb VRAM, LAN, SOUND, Speakers, Kb, Mouse
Monitor 17''
Analogue Photo Camera: Nikon F75
UPS: 600 Watt
HUB 10/100 Mbps 8 port
CD-Rs: 500
CD-R Burning
Photo tapes for camera

All the buildings, equipment and means of transportation acquired under the project shall be transferred to the Regional Museum of Shirak.

4. Principal Activity

N	Description of Activities	Implementators	Duration
1	Acquisition of the equipment	Director, System admin	1^st and 2^nd months
2	The repair of the museum building and the installation of the new equipment	Director, Specialists	2^nd month
3	Preparation of the Catalogue.
3.1.	Selection of the museum exhibits and their provision.	Curator of the museum property	1^st - 8^th months
3.2.	Preparation of the scientific captions.	Scientific Staff 1, 2, 3	1^st - 8^th months
3.3.	Preparation of the sketches of the exhibits.	Painter	1^st - 8^th months
3.4.	Restoration of the exhibits.	Restoration Artist	1^st - 8^th months
3.5.	Photographing of the exhibits.	Photographer	3^rd – 6^th months
3.6.	Editing of scientific articles.	Scientific Staff 1, 2 & 3, Director	6^th – 9^th months
3.7.	Translation of the scientific articles.	Interpreters/Translators 1 & 2	5^th – 9^th months
3.8.	Preparation of the layout of the computerised catalogue and its testing.	Painter, Computer Programmer, Computer Operator, Expert	9^th and 10^th months
3.9.	Publication of the catalogue.	Director	10^th – 12^th months
3.10.	Production of the catalogue on a CD-ROM.	Computer Programmer, Computer Operator	10^th – 12^th months
4.	Creation of a computerised databank of the museum exhibits.	Curator of the museum property, Computer Programmer, Computer Operator	2^nd – 12^th months

5. Main objectives to be achieved

Preparation of computerised databank
Publication of the catalogues.

Enriching the collection of the Museum and expanding their scientific and cultural circulation.
Raising of the role of the museums in the process of research of culture and art.
Promotion of cultural tourism.
Expansion and intensification of international co-operation.
By means of raising of the level of cultural education of the population, provide support for the processes of development of democracy and establishing civic society.

Some of the criteria for the assessment of the effectiveness of the project are:

The number of students, scientists and specialists that have arrived for conducting research on the

site.

The number of materials that have been included in the educational curricula.

The number of scientific publications about the exhibits of the Regional Museum of Shirak and the number of references to them.
The number of publications, reference materials and audio-visual means used in the educational textbooks and during the courses taught.

It will be possible to summarise and assess the effectiveness of the project and its final results only after a year upon the completion of the project.

6. Calculated Budget

Article One (Administrative and Office Costs)

Repairing of the museum building..................................................... 1.500 Euro*
Furniture and supplies........................................................................ 1.000 Euro
Heating equipments .......................................................................... 1.000 Euro
Internet connection costs 60x12 months............................................. 720 Euro
Electricity and heating ....................................................................... 350 Euro*

Sub-Total.................................................................................................... 4570 Euro

Sub-Total of the required amount.......................................................... 2720 Euro

Article Two (Equipment, Materials, Accessories and Supplies)

Computer and accessories................................................................... 2500 Euro

Sub-Total................................................................................................... 2500 Euro

Article Three (Publication and Printing Expenses)

Publication of the museum catalogue (1000 copies) ......................... 5000 Euro

Sub-Total of the required amount............................................................. 5000 Euro
2. Distribution of the CD catalogue onto CD-Rs ................................... 2000 Euro

Sub-Total of the required amount............................................................. 2000 Euro

Article Four (Personnel Fees)

1. Personnel Fees ..................................................................................... 2780 Euro

Sub-Total of the required amount.............................................................. 2780 Euro

TOTAL OF THE PROJECT................................................ 15.000 Euro

GRAND TOTAL OF THE PROJECT................................. 15.000 Euro

Project Implementing Organization

Name of the Organisation	Regional Museum of Shirak State Non Commercial Organization
Address	118 Myasnikian Street, Gyumri, Armenia, e-mail: Smuseum@web.am
Telephone	/374/ 2 28 47
Type of Ownership	State Enterprise
State Registration Number	2921001979
Governing Body	Shirak Regional Authority
Bank Account Number	900211255014, Treasury Branch
Director of the Museum and the Head of the Project	Mr. Hamazasp Khachatryan
Bank Account Number EUR	23803 813680602 "AREXIMBANK" CJSC Branch "GYUMRI"

* The dispences marked with the asterix mark are to be carried out by the Shirak Regional Museum and need not to be funded.