Educational programs for children and youth at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts are among the oldest in Russia. This archival study, coinciding with the anniversary of the educational programs and the «Museion» center, revitalizes knowledge about the heritage and experience, while also presenting history through archival materials.
The archival research was conducted in three archives of the Pushkin Museum: the Manuscripts Department, the Media Library, and the Museumion Center archive. During the analysis and systematization of the discovered materials, four project deliverables were formed:
— the main publication — the methodological publication — a zine with an insert poster — the «little book» series
Publication
This book introduces the history of enlightenment activities and the system of aesthetic education for children and youth at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. These aspects are revealed through archival documents, artifacts, and photographs that chronicle the systematic development of work with children and youth at the Museum over the last century. A significant portion of the publication consists of articles by historian-archivists, illustrating the specifics of working with archival materials and preserving intellectual heritage.
The publication is divided into three parts.
The archive section tells the story through the display of archival materials: reports and notes, articles, posters and flyers, print collateral, photographs, and correspondence.
The archival series accompanies the explanatory text, detailing the key milestones in the history of enlightenment activities.
The publication includes methodological descriptions of relevant educational programs. This allows one to trace the evolution of approaches to working with children and view the work from various perspectives.
Supplementing the archival collection and methodology are articles from museum archivists that reveal the specifics of working with archive materials and the importance of preserving experience.
Methodological Publication
Methodological publication—an expanded version of the current methodology in softcover. The instructional component of the publication is separated into a standalone book for practical usability; this allows it to be shared with regional center partners.
Zine «Deconstructing the Archive»
Accompanying the zine is a postcard insert featuring illustrations from the third article by archival keeper M.A. Lukyanceva’s children’s drawings. The rich illustrative material from the article is featured on a separate poster.