“Increasing the socio-cultural role of museums in a modern society makes them an active participant in cultural processes. At present, the museum plays the role of a cultural institution preserving cultural heritage, which is able to keep the memories of the past within its walls. Present-day socioeconomic development sets new tasks for museums. One of these tasks is to improve the professionalism of museum guides”.
These ideas were expressed at the seminar for museum guides held at the House Museum of Jamshid Nakhchivansky organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on December 7.
Gumral Asadova, the chief adviser of the Ministry on cultural heritage and museums, spoke about the purpose and significance of the event, and gave a speech on the “Rules of behavior of the museum guide” and noted that there are different museums in the autonomous republic. The museums are given special attention today, their financial-technical base is improved, and the level of professionalism of the employees is increased. After the Decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic "On Strengthening the Relations with Museums" dated December 19, 2014, a significant increase in the number of visitors to museums is observed. This, in turn, requires more active and more responsive work of museum staff, museum guides, and fluent and understandable speech skills in presentation of exhibits.
“From 2015, the museum guides get acquainted with museums located in different regions of the Autonomous Republic through seminar-trainings” said Gumral Asadova, adding that last year 11 such events were organized for museums in the autonomous republic. This event is the twenty-first in this year. The main purposes of the today’s seminar-training are to increase the professionalism of museum guides, and to provide them with methodical help to improve their theoretical and practical knowledge.
It was noted that, during the seminar-trainings, museum guides have been striving to learn more about the functions of the museum, as well as learn about the museum's work. At the same time, seminar-trainings are also important for the museum staff to get acquainted with the museums located in all regions of our autonomous republic. In such events, museum guides are talking about innovations in this area, and their questions are answered.
It was noted that in the Autonomous Republic, consistent measures are being taken to organize museum activities at the highest level. The work done is important for the museum staff. Today it is very important for our museums to have guides capable of conducting comparative analysis of exhibits in the museum, knowing foreign languages, having enough knowledge about the cultural center where they work and each exhibit there. The museum guide should also try to contribute to the collection of exhibits in museums. In addition, the museum guide must follow the rules of behavior with the people who come to visit the museum, treat them with courtesy, and have a good impression on them with their dress style and intellectual outlook. Museum guides should be aware of museum work and innovations in the autonomous republic, should pay attention to visitors' questions and respond them with scientific and historical facts. It is of paramount importance to conduct seminar-trainings that allow for the exchange of experience in solving all of these tasks.
Sayyar Mammadov, the director of the Scientific-Methodological Center for Culture, made a speech on the "Nakhchivan khanate and its management", saying that the territory of the Nakhchivan khanate covered the area, from the Kangarli River located at the north of Zangazur Mountains, to the Araz River valley. From the very beginning of the Nakhchivan khanate, his founder Heydargulu Khan sought his military allies to protect the independence of the Khanate and created friendly relations with other khanates. It was noted that the Nakhchivan khanate had its territory, troops, currency, specific foreign and internal policy, and independent state attributes. The state apparatus of the Nakhchivan khanate as other khanates of Azerbaijan was organized on the basis of the simplified system of Safavi state apparatus. The khanate had a flag, an administrative division, money, and troops that were key attributes for governance.
Then the museum exposition was viewed and the excursion was discussed.
At the end of the event participants’ questions were answered, methodical advice about the guide's ethical rules of behavior was given.