The discussion will explore key aspects of creating modern museums, including forming collections, defining missions, and setting strategic goals for new institutions. Special attention will be given to the role of museums as spaces for cultural dialogue, where traditional values of different peoples interact while maintaining their sovereignty. The years 2024–2025 will mark significant museum openings, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza and the Sheikh Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the global trend of rethinking museum practices.
In Russia, this work is also underway: the Union of Museums, at the direction of the President of the Russian Federation, is developing a Museum Development Program aimed at strengthening their role as custodians of the nation’s cultural code. Museums are not just institutions but "identity matrices" that connect the past and the future through tangible and intangible historical evidence. Their mission is not propaganda but a profound dialogue with visitors, enabling them to reflect on the connections between eras and cultures.
Participants will discuss how to prevent reducing museums’ functions to utilitarian tasks while preserving their educational and scientific value. The conversation will also address the integration of new technologies, inclusivity, and sustainable development of museum spaces in the face of modern challenges. The discussion will serve as a platform for sharing experiences and seeking solutions to safeguard cultural heritage as a foundation for national and global dialogue.
Moderator: Mikhail Piotrovsky, General Director, State Hermitage Museum.
Speakers:
- Hadeel Khalil Abd Mohsen, Conservator at the Stone and Mural Paintings Laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum;
- Lydia Kitungulu, Head of Department, National Museums of Kenya;
- Jamal Al Musawi, Secretary General, National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman;
- Mohamed Amirou Conte, Director General of the National Museum of Guinea;
- Ambika Bipin, President of ICOM India;
- Zhang Jinxuan, Director World Museum of Music and Culture;
- Guang He, Vice-director, Hubei Provincial Museum;
- Artem Silkin, Director, "Island-Town of Sviyazhsk" State Museum-Reserve.