Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the museum field. ICOM Azerbaijan carried out a survey to identify issues amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey included museums in Baku, Nakhchivan, Gadabay, Astara, Masalli, Neftchala, Shabran, Khachmaz, Barda, Guba, Ujar, Shirvan, Beylagan, Yevlakh and other regions and involved 59 respondents from 42 museums, as well as art galleries and museum centers.

Around 95.1 percent of respondents were employees of the state supported museums and 4.9 percent from cultural institutions of alternative financing.

Some 80.3 percent of the cultural institutions functioned virtually, while 6.6 percent operated on-site during the pandemic lockdown. Around 13.1% of them did not work completely. During the quarantine period, most of the museum staff participated in virtual trainings and workshops.

Their main activities included video lectures, educational resources for children, students, adults, parents, and teachers, as well as resources of digitized museum collections.

According to the respondents, education is the most important function of museums during the pandemic.

Lack of visitors, disruption of normal economic activity, material and moral damages, as well as postponed projects are considered by the respondents as main negative consequences for museums in the current quarantine situation. Positive results for museums include online experiences, increase of online education, more opportunities for conducting researches, and preventing the spread of coronavirus, etc.

Nearly 98.4 percent of museums did not lay off employees during the pandemic. Over this time, the museum staff faced technical challenges such as disruption in the routine work, getting used to online activities, lack of electronic information, lack of human resources, as well as paid services.

The pandemic gave impetus to a number of innovations in museum work, such as online activity, increase in the number of visitors on social networks, stimulating the public interest in arts.

Following the pandemic, the museums are going to return to their usual work, intensify the online activities and innovate in the field.

The survey reveled that around 57.4 percent of respondents expect museums to open within a month.

Azerbaijan is one of the best tourist destinations to discover some of the most beautiful museums of the world. Let’s take a look at the most impressive museums of the country.

If you can't take your eyes off the enchanting rugs, then visit Azerbaijan's Carpet Museum. Founded in 1967, the museum displays some of the best examples of carpet weaving art.

The museum itself is beautiful inside and out. The new building of the Carpet Museum, designed in the form of a rolled carpet, opened in the Baku Seaside Park in 2014 and all carpets were transferred to this museum.

The Carpet Museum actively hosts many events, such as exhibitions, international symposiums, and conferences.

The Old City Museum Center is open to the public with the legendary Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshahs' Palace Complex, Gala State Historical-Ethnographic Reserve Museum, Siratagli (arched -shaped) and Beyler Mosque that unites the time and the people with the feeling of love to humanity.

The Museum Center aims to introduce its own rich history, diverse culture and homeland Azerbaijan to all over the world.

National Museum of History, located in the former mansion of Azerbaijani oil magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, is the largest museum in the country. Here you can view the country's history step-by-step.

The museum’s exhibits include the artifacts discovered in Gobustan, Azikh cave, Kamiltepe, Geytepe as well as Karabakh and Soyugbulag mounds.

Over 300,000 items are assembled in 10 collections in the museum, including a valuable library consisting mainly of unique books.

The Azerbaijan National Art Museum is a treasure house that preserves national moral values and cultural heritage. The museum holds more than 17,000 artistic exhibits, which have a rich history. The Art department was separated from the Azerbaijan State Museum in 1936 and organized as an independent museum by decision of the Council of People's Commissars.

The Land of Fire is also home to major contemporary art museums.

With the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Museum of Modern Art opened its doors in Baku in 2009.

The museum displays art works of such artists as Rasim Babayev, Ashraf Murad, Gennady Brejatjuk, Fazil Najafov, Mammad Mustafaev, Aga Oussejnov, Ali Ibadullaev, Mir-Nadir Zeynalov, Fuad Salayev, Farhad Halilov, Darvin Velibayov, Eldar Mammadov, Mikayil Abdurrahmanov, Museib Amirov, Mahmud Rustamov and other masters of brush.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz