SACRED OBJECT IN THE MUSEUM SPACE (ON MUSEUM CREATION IN 1920–1930-s RUSSIA)

Abstract

In the 1920-s–1930-s there was a dynamic cultural policy in Russia. It was determined by a necessity to eliminate a mass illiteracy, to protect historical and art heritage and to provide its scientifi c research as powerful tools of ideological infl uence on the socialist society. Th is activity was refl ected in opening of new museums. Around 250 new museums were organized in the Soviet Russia in 1919–1927. In 1925 the League of Militant Atheists was founded and it started the campaign for creation of antireligious museums. In 1928 there were about 600 anti-religious museums. Th ey were diffi cult to classify according to the modern museum classifi cation which includes art museums, historical museums, ethnographical museums, museums of natural history, museum of history of science and technology and so on. As the complexity of the religious phenomena specifi cated the multiplicity of a religious research so the religious objects on display had to fi nd their specifi c forms and complex character. Refs 11.

Keywords:

sacred object, anti-religious museums, Museum of the History of Religion, museum study in Russia