Kreovanie Slovenského národného múzea – Múzea rusínskej kultúry v Prešove
Establishment of the Slovak National Museum – Museum of Rusyn Culture in Prešov

Summary/Abstract: The ongoing process of societal changes in Central Europe and the world at the end of the 1980s is predominantly influenced by Western-style democracy, globalization, humanization, multicultural theoretical and practical activities, affecting all areas of human endeavor, including the awareness of national minorities, i.e., Rusyns living in Slovakia and abroad. The emerging socio-economic and socio-legal movements during this period demand a whole range of changes, enabling a fundamental rethinking of any socio-legal phenomenon, including the status of the Rusyn national minority living not only in Slovakia but also worldwide, and an adequate response to their fundamental human and civic needs that have long been denied to them. The article details the establishment of the Slovak National Museum – Museum of Rusyn Culture (SNM – MRC) in Prešov, initiated by the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia after 1989. This museum, officially established on January 1, 2007, and opened to the public on February 21, 2008, serves as a unique institution for documenting, preserving, and presenting the material and spiritual existence of the Rusyn population, primarily in Slovakia but also worldwide (emigration). It aims to be an international consultation center for Rusyns, emphasizing their indigenous status in Slovakia and historical ties with Slovaks. The museum's activities include collecting and restoring cultural artifacts, publishing scholarly works, and providing methodological, informational, and educational services. It actively cooperates with educational and cultural institutions, both domestically and internationally, focusing on interdisciplinary research in ethnography, history, culturology, and museology. The SNM – MRC also prioritizes working with young generations through museum pedagogy. The article concludes by discussing the current challenges, such as acquiring permanent premises for the museum to expand its exhibition and archival facilities, and the long-term goal of establishing regional branches of Rusyn traditions and culture in areas with Rusyn populations.

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