Koncepcja magazynu otwartego zrealizowana w oddziale Muzeum Krakowa Thesaurus Cracoviensis – Centrum Interpretacji Artefaktów na tle innych realizacji tego typu w muzeach polskich

Abstract

THE CONCEPT OF AN OPEN STOREHOUSE CARRIED OUT AT THE THESAURUS CRACOVIENSIS  – ARTEFACTS INTERPRETATION CENTRE,  A BRANCH OF THE MUSEUM OF KRAKÓW,  COMPARED TO OTHER PROJECTS OF THIS KIND  OPERATING AT POLISH MUSEUMS

The tremendous potential of the idea of a museum storehouse open to the public manifests itself in the growing list of new initiatives embracing the open storehouse formula in Poland. A chronological survey of such projects which have already been completed allows us to track the progressive process of Polish museums, and especially their storage spaces, becoming more open and accessible to the wider public. A point of reference for other ventures of this kind is the project encompassing the central collections storehouse of the Museum of Kraków completed in the years 2007 2017 – a genuine innovation on a national scale. The failure to obtain external funding for this enterprise on the grounds of the alleged lack of social function for this kind of institution led the originators’ intentions towards the idea of an open storehouse. The successful fruition of the enterprise which was carried out on a grand scale was only possible thanks to the support of the Municipality of Kraków which provided half of the amount needed for this project. Thesaurus Cracoviensis is perceived as a trailblazing and groundbreaking phenomenon. The visitors of the Artefacts Interpretation Centre, whether they are professionals working in the same field (museologists, conservators, art historians, etc.), or persons without any ties to the museum industry, are always immensely impressed by this Treasury of Kraków. Thanks to our connections with multiple museum institutions it has been possible to spread the concept of an open storehouse itself, and to implement the specific solutions used in it in a number of new and upcoming projects of this kind. Therefore, the Museum of Kraków has, in a certain sense, provided a strong impetus to popularize the idea of an open storehouse – a concept which has become a sign of the times in the field of contemporary museology.