Anniversary of the University museum
Founded in 1979, immediately after the completion of construction of the main academic building, for 35 years of its existence, the museum has replenished the fund with hundreds of documents and currently its fund possesses 3,700 various exhibits depicting the life and activities of the university representatives and achievements. This is not a frozen collection of artifacts, but a center of brining up spiritual, moral and patriotic values. Excursions are becoming essential and the most important form of activity. For each first year student a tour of the museum is a mandatory event! The museum staff tells about the history of the university, its achievements, traditions, scientific schools, outstanding scientists.
For university students and visitors the University Museum organizes and conducts tours of Belgorod and Belgorod region. Among the partners are Belgorod State History and Art Museum - diorama "The Battle of Kursk", Belgorod State Art Museum, the Museum of Folk Culture, Museum "The Balltlefield of Prokhorovka", exhibition hall" The Homeland”. This collaboration enables the youth to broaden their horizons, understand human values, arouse interest in the history and traditions of Russia.
Among the visitors of Museum and exhibition Centre are representatives of foreign countries: students and teachers, scientists and artists, diplomats from embassies and senior officials of Serbia, the United States of America, Germany, France, China, Korea, etc.
“The museum becomes a gateway to our university. Even if a foreign delegation is short of time, visiting the museum will be included in the schedule in any case. MEC represents concentrated information about the university. Here you can see our campus in miniature. The essential part of a tour is an interesting story told by Tamara Konoreva, director of Museum and exhibition centre. Accompanying almost all foreign delegations, each time I learn something new and interesting. There is an opportunity for a visitor to leave a trace by signing in the guest book or leaving a souvenir for memory. By the way, the most interesting exhibition showcase displays gifts from foreign guests. Visiting the museum inspires the parties to initiate joint projects. One of the most memorable exhibitions was the one organized by the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman"- characterizes the museum's activities Elena Zagorodnuk, deputy director of Centre for International education and cooperation.
Theme exhibitions are listed among MEC attractions. Specific displays are dedicated to particular military events, Orthodox holidays, engineering education, family ideals, the Russian language or youth problems. The year of culture will be no exception, for which a lot of varied activities have been scheduled.
Means of expression here can be diverse: photographs and paintings, appliques and children's drawings, sculpture, decorative and applied arts. MEC staff provide exhibition space for students and academic staff so that they could show their talents, share their creativity. There is a lot of enthusiastic people at Belgorod state technological university named after V.G. Shukhov like professor V. Bogdanov, director of the Institute of Technological equipment and machine building, Professor V. Minko, a lecturer of Cement Technology department, Ph.D., Associate Professor A.V. Cherkasov, associate professor of architecture Y.M. Kalinin, senior lecturers N.S. Stepanova - Tretyakova, O.V. Kovrizhkina.
An opening ceremony of each exhibition becomes a bright and memorable event. A program includes performances by creative groups of BSTU Students Art Centre. Such scenario attracts more and more visitors, creates an atmosphere of being present at a significant cultural event, although at a university level.
Several years ago, the museum moved to new, modern premises the design of which was made with the participation of the staff of the Department of Architecture. With the support of the university management a “home theater system” was purchased, which made it possible to show films related to the activities of the university, prepare video presentations. The technical advancement of MEC has not been limited to just installing equipment for watching films, the plans include introduction of the most advanced museum technologies.
The imagination of MEC staff is boundless, they tend to introduce novelty - innovation in their own work, initiating a variety of forms, offering the most unexpected themes: MEC organized a wonderful project – presentation of BSTU institutes. On the eve of the new year MEC suggested all employees to take part in a retro exhibition "It's been recently, it's been a long time." The exhibition gave an opportunity to go back to the world of the childhood.
The core area in the activity of BSTU museum is given to bringing up the younger generation in the ideas of civil responsibility and patriotic values. This trend was initiated by a retired colonel, Ph.D in history P.F. Ushakov. A former military man, Peter Ushakov, indeed devoted his life to the armed defense of the interests of his homeland, and, after retirement, went on with bringing up the younger generation in the spirit of love to their home country. He used to be a head of the university museum for over 10 years. His slogan "Our concern is to bring up patriots" became the principle of the museum for the following years. Today P.F. Ushakov, being a veteran, finds time to have a talk with students. In January, the whole Russia celebrated the 70th anniversary of breaking the Siege of Leningrad by the Soviet Army. P.F. Ushakov gave a lecture to students on unprecedented mass heroism of people in Leningrad.
The club, created by MEC director T. Konoreva "Our memory pages" is successfully acting. With the direct participation of the Veterans Council the club arranges meetings between students and participants the Great Patriotic War (World War II), armed conflicts of recent decades (Afghan and Chechen wars). The club organises "General Vatutin’s readings", public lectures devoted to the anniversary dates in Russia. Sincere interest is aroused by the events dedicated to such global military and technical projects as the launch of "Buran" spacecraft. In February-March MEC opened an exhibition "Russian nuclear shield. Belgorod in the nuclear project", which aroused a great public interest. The exhibition was visited by Belgorod Region Governor Yevgeny Savchenko and the Mayor of the city of Belgorod Sergei Bozhenov.
The central part of the permanent exhibition area is given to Vladimir Grigoryevich Shukhov – a unique and versatile personality. An outstanding engineer, a talented scientist, a dedicated patriot, an extremely intelligent person, a wonderful family man. The list can be continued. Each tour of the university museum tells about the above and many other wonderful qualities of V.G. Shukhov. Numerous visitors have a pleasure to take pictures next to the bust of V. Shukhov. This corner of the museum recreates the era in which he Vladimir Shukhov used to live. Here there are pictures and personal belongings of the scientist, models of his most famous structures, made by students. V.G. Shukhov’s anniversary became one more occasion to draw attention to his personality and scientific heritage. Last year, in 2013 a wide range of events took place, which involved almost all the students and staff of the university. The great-grandson of the prominent engineer attended the celebrations of the 160 anniversary of V.G. Sukhov.
With great interest the visitors come to various art exhibitions. The works made by schoolchildren attending classes at university based IMP-art (an architectural and art studio) and creative design workshop (head E. Letkemann) are especially touching and exciting. The above centers prepare the junior schoolchildren to following university training in the field of architecture and design. Those who are already studying at the university or even work, can also demonstrate their creativity. The Museum and Exhibition Centre opens its halls for designers and architects. Architectural design works and models made by students of the institute of architecture and construction arouse great interest.
University graduates are also closely cooperating with the museum: Head of the Department of Architecture Margarita V. Perkova, a well known artist in Belgorod Yuri Danchenko and many others. Recently a photo exhibition by Alexander Chadyuk "To see" was opened. A genuine interest is being attracted to the exhibition "Master and his disciples", prepared by lecturers and students of the department of technology of glass and ceramics where the central place is given to pictures, dolls and pottery works made by a lecturer Olga Kovrizhkina.
The ideas and projects of the museum staff are endless. Its staff are passionate people, enthusiastically giving themselves to their favorite work. MEC is actively involved in a variety of competitions, where it wins prizes and awards.
The doors of the museum are always wide open to everyone willing to come in.
Victoria Gorainova