Last year, about 60 Belarusian museums welcomed visitors for the special event, explains the Deputy Head of the Institution for Culture and Folklore at the Ministry of Culture, Svetlana Gavrilova. Now, small district museums have joined the major movement, alongside those of national and regional importance, organising interesting programmes.
Besides the usual exhibitions, guests enjoy entertainments during the nocturnal event. This year, the Belarusian National History Museum turned back the clock 200 years, transporting visitors to the time of the Napoleonic Wars with its exhibitions 1812 War in Minsk’s History and Fleeting Moments of Time.
The National Art Museum of Belarus presented Apocalypse. Cancelled… exploring the fact that mankind has several times faced the ‘end of the world’; the next is predicted for December 2012. Gloomy predictions were replaced by an optimistic outlook!
The Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum chose to celebrate the centenary of Paulinka — the great man’s wonderful play. A parade of Belarusian Paulinkas took place, with the best costume awarded. Meanwhile, the Yakub Kolas State Literary and Memorial Museum displayed previously unseen letters written by famous writers and politicians to the legendary poet, as well as those from his loved ones. Archive photos of Yakub Kolas’ elite friends were also on show, recreating the atmosphere of Soviet 1940-1950s, when creativity was only allowed within certain boundaries.
The State Museum of Theatrical and Musical Culture, the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, the Maxim Bogdanovich Literary Museum, the Petrus Brovka Literary Museum, the Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum and others also prepared interesting programmes.
The international event first took place in Berlin in 1997, with Belarus joining the Night of Museums in 2004.
