The “living history” format as one of the most promising areas of museum development

Abstract

What is the attraction of the “living history” format in the development of a modern museum? This article is devoted to this issue and an attempt is made to clarify the specific differences between living history museums and classical ones, focusing on the possibility of the former to “immerse” the visitor in the recreated cultural and historical space of a certain era. The experience of Russian living history museums shows that by implementing new programs aimed at interacting with visitors, museums perform not only their main function of collecting and preserving, but also contribute to the popularization and comprehensive study of historical and cultural heritage as well as solving educational tasks. The author of the article aims to acquaint the reader with the most effective and popular projects to activate museum activities in the Krasnodar territory and the Southern Urals. Master classes on various topics, traveling exhibitions, costumed performances, quests, and, finally, festivals of historical reconstruction are just some of the modern forms of interaction with visitors, which can serve as a basis for developing interactive educational programs. The relevance and prospects of the immersive format in museum activities are provided by the need to solve the problems of fostering the cultural and historical memory among young visitors, the most popular museum audience, and the younger generation’s interest in living history. The implementation of new forms of interaction with the audience will help museums not only attract a wide range of visitors, but also increase financial opportunities for development and become more competitive.