МУЗЕИ-ЗАВОДЫ НА СРЕДНЕМ УРАЛЕ: ОСМЫСЛЕНИЕ ПРОШЛОГО И ИНДИКАТОР НАСТОЯЩЕГО В КУЛЬТУРЕ ИНДУСТРИАЛЬНОГО УРАЛА
INDUSTRIAL MUSEUMS IN MIDDLE URAL: A TOOL FOR RETHINKING THE PAST AND AN INDICATOR OF THE PRESENT IN THE CULTURE OF INDUSTRIAL URAL

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the aspects of development and operation of the industrial museums in Middle Ural, i.e. in the towns of Solikamsk, Nizhny Tagil, and Polevskoy. It contains the description of their present conditions, their popularity, plans and projects for further development. Analysis of an image of an industrial museum as it exists in the minds both of local residents and visitors is followed by the attempt to clarify the symbolic function of an industrial museum as a tool for shaping the image of Ural for contemporary age. Also, the article delves into the contradictions between the actual situation of industrial museums and the declarations of their importance and usage made by the local official media (based on the case of Demidov Park project). The main problem here is the failure, both by authorities and by local residents, to comprehend the role and the place of such museums in the future development of local and regional culture; as a result, we can witness underfunding and dismal material conditions of the industrial museums in Solikamsk and Nizhny Tagil, lack of adequate advertising, no interesting projects implemented at these plants and so on.

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