3 February

• Museum of Polish History in Warsaw
  The design conditions for the new Museum of Polish History in Warsaw has determinded by existing urban structures both historic 18th century baroque layout with Ujazdow Castle and expressway of 70s. To select location for new museum was most critical design decision. It was the result of seeking the point of balance between old and new, that the new was as supplement and complement of the historic baroque park layout. Two balancing elements was created in the panorama of the dramatic slope – the existing castle and new museum. The buildings stand opposite each other in distance, guarded entrance to west side city of Warsaw. Moreover, the selected location using the natural conditions will strengthen the fragile parts of the slope without additional structures, and technological treatments – except those related directly to the realization of the building.
  More information: http://www.archdaily.com/tag/jednacz-architekci/

• Paléosite. Saint-Césaire (France)
  Discover the Centre about Prehistory the most modern in the world.
  Paleosite stretches over a 10 hectare park and 2000m ² of air-conditioned and covered building. Visiting Paleosite is living a unique experience. Fantastic machine to go back in time, Paleosite makes the visitor really live Prehistory, between 15 billion and 35000 years ago on the trail of Neandertal men. On the site you can discover the archaeological deposit. As soon as you arrive, follow the trail that leads directly to the archaeological site, Pierrette’s sanctuary, the place where she was found.
  Real place of the archaeological searches, the deposit justifies the location of the Paleosite and creates the emotion of the reality : a sanctuary for the community and a reference for the Centre. After the visit of the archaeological site, you can get to the Centre in a panoramic elevator.
  More information: http://www.paleosite.fr/

• Vulcania: Virtual Visit - Park of the Volcanoes of Auvergne (France)
  New Vulcania’s challenge is to bring science alive with sensations and emotions, while at the same time preserving an educational aspect - an objective that considerably changes both the appearance and atmosphere of the site, with new combinations of fun and learning, emotion and understanding. A livelier and more hands-on scenography makes emotion a part of the adventure we offer to our visitors. It becomes a formidable source of knowledge, offering the opportunity to share and understand the major challenges of the 21st century. Vulcania, in line with its educational objectives, therefore plays a major role in understanding these sometimes violent natural phenomena that govern our planet.
  More information: http://www.vulcania.com/index.php?id=11&L=2

• Vaisseau Museum: “Science is fun”. Strasborg, Bas Rhin (France)
  This centre of discovery of sciences and techniques is aimed at children from the ages of 3 up to 15 years old, although it is also open for a wider audience: children, families, school groups, where access has been adapted for disable people. The exhibitions and science learning workshops can be followed in three languages (French, German, and English) and the animations are adapted to the French and German audiences. This centre holds a building that has more than 5000m2, 2000 m2 of which are devoted to interactive exhibitions, a temporal exhibition room and an auditorium of 140 seats.
  More information: http://5ans.levaisseau.com/

• (in Italian) Emergenza musei in Sicilia
  Sei appuntamenti, tra gennaio e febbraio hanno già portato alla ribalta in tutta la Sicilia e, di riflesso, in tutta Italia, la disastrosa situazione in cui versano i musei siciliani. L’ultimo di questi dibattiti, il 4 febbraio a Modica, chiuderà il ciclo di incontri dedicati alla presentazione del dossier di Legambiente Sicilia “Emergenza musei in Sicilia”, analisi condotta all’interno del progetto “Salvailmuseo”, da circa due anni costola del più ampio “Salvalarte Sicilia”.
  Il dossier, finito di stampare a dicembre scorso, presenta da un lato tutte le criticità e le emergenze che le varie tipologie di strutture museali siciliane devono affrontare per sopravvivere, dall’altro una serie di proposte mirate al recupero di alcune strutture e alla valorizzazione di altre, condizioni fondamentali affinché i musei siciliani possano ritrovare momenti di splendore.
  More information: http://www.tafter.it/2010/02/02/emergenza-musei-in-sicilia/

1 February

• Lwandle is Museum of the Year in the Western Cape, South Africa
  The Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum, the first and only museum in a Western Cape township, has been named as the Museum of the Year for 2009 by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. This is a museum which, despite recurring financial crises and constant threats of closure, has through its committed staff and board, built an institution which has redefined the traditional role and immediate tasks of a museum. It has made a substantial contribution in turning a place which under apartheid was only officially recognized as a place of hostels for male migrant labourers into a community.
  More information: http://www.archivalplatform.org/news/entry/lwandle/

29 January

• New Museum Practices: a UNESCO Beirut Workshop
  UNESCO Beirut regional office organized a cultural workshop for museum professionals from 26 to 29 October 2009, in Beirut entitled « New Museum Practices: Scenography and Communication». The workshop was carried out in close cooperation with the Lebanese National Committee for the International Council of Museums (ICOM) . In the opening, Joe Kreidi UNESCO Beirut Culture Programme Officer, gave welcome remarks and emphasized the importance of this training for museum professionals, as it is necessary to bring out the best in scenography and exhibitions and to better communicate with the public.
  More information: http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Beirut/pdf/
  UNESCO_Beirut_Jan_2010_newsletter.pdf

• Museum of Polish History proposal / Paisajes Emergentes
  Colombian architects Paisajes Emergentes (one of our AD Futures) shared with us their proposal for the Museum of Polish History competition. The project consists in five historical galleries articulated by an open air courtyard. By simple spatial procedures every gallery gives a different and intense sense of space related to historical moments. The individual galleries are accessed via a linear ramp that spirals down through the exhibitions whilst each gallery is independently linked to each other offering more freedom to explore. The open air courtyard acts like an extension of the temporal galleries, allowing the possibility for larger exhibitions.
  More information: http://www.archdaily.com/47926/museum-of-polish-history-proposal-paisajes-emergentes/

• UNESCO calls for ban on trade in Haitian artefacts to prevent pillaging of the country’s cultural heritage
  UNESCO is launching a campaign to protect Haiti’s moveable heritage, notably art collections in the country’s damaged museums, galleries and churches, from pillaging.The Director-General of the Organization, Irina Bokova, on Wednesday wrote to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, asking for his support in preventing the dispersion of Haiti’s cultural heritage.
  More information: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_calls_for_ban_on_trade_in_haitian_artefacts_to_
  prevent_pillaging_of_the_countrys_cultural/back/18276/

28 January

• City Museums and Urban Development
  Museums provide platforms to showcase and present narratives about the historical layers, physical transformations, and changes taking place within communities. The presentations cover subject areas such as lifestyles, diet, clothing, household utilities, weapons, transport, trade, and conflicts. Other areas of themes may include structural with regards to buildings, construction materials, and architectural evolution amongst others. Museums capture through documentation different stages of historical layers and transformations within the society by collecting artifacts cultural and natural, movable and immovable. The materials both tangible and intangible in form, are collected, researched, interpreted, and presented to the public to engage with for leisure or learning (academic) purposes in an organized format.
  More information: http://www.archivalplatform.org/blog/entry/city_museums/

27 January

• Looking Ahead at the Cooper-Hewitt
  Bill Moggridge’s appointment as director of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the New York-based Smithsonian Institution museum, received extensive coverage in the New York Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere. In several news reports, Moggridge, reported as the designer of the look for the first laptop computer among many accomplishments, was hailed by Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough as “an entrepreneur, innovator and visionary leader in the design world.” Those are laudable qualities for someone who will be promoting the importance of design and acting as a one of its leading stewards.
  More information: http://72.27.230.88/content/looking-ahead-cooper-hewitt

26 January

• Resoring two swords from King Jérôme of Westphalia, stolen in 1995
  In January 20th, Frédéric Mitterrand officially gave back to Jean-François Hébert, President of the Public Centre of the Domain and Castle of Fontainebleau, the two swords from King Jerome of Westphalia which had been previously stolen on the night of the 15th-16th, Novemember 1995.
  More information in French: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/mcc/Actualites/A-la-une/Restitution-de-deux-glaives-du-roi-Jerome

25 January

• Infolettre LAMIC- January 2010
  LAMIC wants to become a revolving platform for the reflection and experimental research, which accompanies museums in the redefinition of their practices, while enabling them to make more precise choices when it comes to high-tech equipment and providing them with the necessary tools for the creation of evolutive museum experiences, which are better adapted and adaptable to the public. The work carried out by LAMIC, its role as a public observatory and a technological supervisor places Canada and Quebec at the forefront of innovation in international museology.
  More information in French: http://www.lamic.ulaval.ca

• (in Italian) Master di I livello in “Catalogazione Informatica per la valorizzazione dei Beni Culturali”
  L’Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia attiva per l’A/A 2009/2010 il Master Universitario di I livello in “Catalogazione Informatica per la valorizzazione dei Beni Culturali”. Il master è finalizzato a una gestione integrata delle conoscenze relative al patrimonio culturale italiano, associando i dati di catalogazione alle informazioni geografiche e a quelle relative allo stato di conservazione del patrimonio culturale per leggere in un quadro d’insieme le relazioni che intercorrono tra le diverse tipologie di beni, per effettuare un monitoraggio sul loro stato di conservazione, per evidenziare i rapporti con gli elementi ambientali ed antropici dei diversi territori, per attività finalizzate alla tutela, conservazione e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale (Codice per i beni culturali e il paesaggio, D. lgs. 42/2004 e successive modificazioni e Atto di indirizzo sui criteri tecnico-scientifici e gli standard di funzionamento e sviluppo dei musei del Ministero Beni e Attività Culturali del 10-5-2001 -ambito VI).
  More information: http://www.tafter.it/category/opportunita/corsi/

21 January

• Skeleton found in shallow grave at Yorkshire Museum
  A shallow grave containing a skeleton believed to date from a Christian burial ceremony more than 2,000 years ago has been found at the Yorkshire Museum. Builders carrying out work as part of the £2 million refurbishment of the York site found the corpse buried close to ground level near the museum's drains. Archaeologists are now analysing the bones in an attempt to surmise the age, sex and cause of death of the body.
  More information: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/archaeology/art75093

19 January

• British Museum and BBC tell History of the World in 100 Objects
  Of the list of domestic institutions who could make a decent fist of telling the history of the world, the British Museum is particularly well-placed under the leadership of charismatic Director Neil MacGregor. Interviewers frequently recount the ebullient Glaswegian perusing his galleries with the wide-eyed fervour of a novice observer. "The museum should be like Gulliver's travels," he has said, aiming for a "decentring voyage". He once compared the global value of his 256-year-old "museum of societies" with the BBC's World Service, and his narration of A History of the World in 100 Objects – an ambitious series of programmes beginning today on Radio 4 – is, he says, "the fulfilment of an enlightenment dream".
  More information: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/art75058

15 January

• Half a million raised for campaign to keep Staffordshire Hoard in Midlands
  A £3.3 million campaign to keep the Staffordshire Hoard in the Midlands has been boosted by a £300,000 pledge from The Art Fund. Birmingham City Council and Stoke-on-Trent Council have also both announced £100,000 in grants towards the appeal, which is trying to keep the most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found in the region where it was discovered. Prominent historian Dr David Starkey has made a passionate plea for more donations. "Archaeological finds don't come bigger than this," he said. "The Staffordshire Hoard is the most significant and beautiful treasure find from any era that has ever been unearthed in England."
  More information: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%2526+heritage/archaeology/art74983

• European Union Spanish Presidency - El Greco's painting is rehabilitated in Brussels
  The exhibition, ‘EL GRECO Domenikos Theotokopoulos 1900’ returns to Europe after a two-month stay at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico, where it received more than 250 000 visitors. The next stop for the exhibition is BOZAR, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, where it will run from 4 February to 9 May. The exhibition includes a total of 40 pieces, among which are the outstanding works, The Apostles, his famous series of the twelve apostles presided over by The Saviour, the two Blessed Virgins painted by the artist (the Oballe Blessed Virgin, for the parish of San Nicolás de Bari, and The Blessed Virgin and Saint John, for the church of Saint Vincent), The Veronica, from the parish of Santa Leocadia, and the Complete Works of Xenophon annotated by El Greco, from the library of the Marquis de la Vega Inclán. The exhibition also offers an oil on board of a crucified Christ of the Venetian school, unseen until now.
  More information: http://eu2010.es/en/documentosynoticias/noticias/greco.html

• MDG-FUN Joint Programme "Culture and Heritage for Social and Economic Development" implemented at Tirana National History Museum (Albania)
  In the framework of the MDG-F UN Joint Programme “Culture and Heritage for Social and Economic Development” implemented by UNESCO (the leading agency) and UNDP, the National History Museum Advisory Board Meeting met on 24-25 November 2009 in Tirana, Albania. The flagship activity for this Joint Programme is the transformation of the National History Museum in Tirana into a modern cultural institution. UNESCO is responsible for 2 key activities to this end: establishing a management and governance structure for a “world-class” National History Museum and creating operational or action plans for National History Museum in Tirana to meet international standards of documentation, conservation, security, and presentation.
  More information: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=43205&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

• Website: Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) http://www.museumwnf.org
  By raising awareness of artistic and cultural heritage and promoting investment in restoration and conservation projects, MWNF aims to promote cultural integration as a means of facilitating political cooperation between different countries and cultures. The MWNF programme provides an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the shared cultural heritage of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in a completely new way. Its masterly orchestration brings together a large number of academics, professionals, photographers, tourist managers, politicians and many other people and organisations participating in this innovative project.
  More information: http://www.museumwnf.org/

• (in Italian) Museo della Motocicletta Frera. Tradate, Italia
  L’azienda Frera nasce nel 1905 a Tradate come produttrice di biciclette ed ha cessato la sua attività nel 1939, dopo un alternarsi di vicende più e meno fortunate che hanno segnato il suo sviluppo. Corrado Frera, padre dell’azienda, ebbe la capacità di intuire, nei primi anni del ‘900 che la diffusione della motocicletta in Italia, sia sul piano produttivo che commerciale, rappresentava un settore sicuramente significativo di espansione. Cominciò quindi la produzione di motociclette, inizialmente con motori svizzeri e, in seguito, con motori originali Frera.
  More information: http://www.tafter.it/2010/01/13/museo-della-motocicletta-frera/

• The Pouchkin Museum of Fine Arts. Russian Digital Art
  The Pouchkin Museum of Fine Arts has more than 1200 pictures, most of which have never been shown to the public. Among the digital works stand out British works of art from the XVIII and XIX centuries, and some Russian ones from the XVIII century, and the beginnings of the XIX, some of which depict the Napoleonic Wars from a Russian perspective. An unprecedented immersion into Russian History and that of its neighbours.
  • Pouchkin Museum - Russian Art: http://www.russianprints.ru/
  • Pouchkin Museum - Brithish Art: http://www.britishprints.ru/

13 January

• UNESCO Museum Training Package Online. New languages available: Russian and Spanish
  The package and training programme, aiming at improving or enhancing the knowledge and competencies of museum personnel in developing countries, were prepared jointly by UNESCO and ICOM. It exists in English, French, Arabic, Spanish and Russian.
  More information: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35511&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Cultural Heritage Protection Booklets online in many linguistic versions
The Section of Museums also would like to draw your attention to the four volumes of the Cultural Heritage Protection Handbooks Series. This series of comic strip booklets is of immense interest for museum professionals. Witty illustrations, accompanied by short texts, are intended to show museum staff and the daily users of museums the correct behaviour and appropriate measures to be taken for the conservation of movable cultural heritage. In particular I would like to point out that the publications are available for download on the UNESCO homepage at the links indicated below. In 2009, four new versions joined the series thanks to the cooperation of colleagues in Cuba, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and Cambodia.
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35516&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

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