Specyfika i walory muzeów biograficznych w Polsce

Abstract

This paper attempts to find answers to the following questions: what does the specific character of biographical museums consist in, what do they attract tourists with, what is their position among other museums? In Polish museology there are no distinctive criteria dividing museums into particular types (a lot of museums are multi-sectional), therefore it is hard to create the definition of a biographical museum. The author has defined a biographical museum, expanding the definition of the Chief Census Bureau, as “museums gathering memorabilia connected with lives and activities of famous people (writers, artists, scientists, politicians), in which the exhibition related to the biography of the main character is dominating and constitutes background for other factors such as epoch, region or profession”. As there is no complete register of biographical museums it is hard to quote its exact number. According to the author and her research, at the end of 1990s there were 56 biographical museums, which constituted about 9% of all museums in Poland. First Polish biographical museums were founded in times of the Partition of Poland beyond Polish territory (the Copernicus Museum in Rome in 1879, the Adam Mickiewicz Museum in Paris in 1903). The first biographical museum in Poland – the Jan Matejko House in Cracow, was opened in 1896, based on houses of Rafael in Urbino and of Michael Angel in Florence. Up to the Second World War other two objects were opened. A radical increase in number of biographical museums was observed after 1960. Between 1960–1980, 32 museums were founded – almost 60% of museums existing nowadays. Biographical museums commemorate patrons of various professions, living within the range of 5 centuries (from 15th to 20th c.). Majority of museums are dedicated to writers, much fewer museums are connected with artists of other arts, and only few commemorate lives and work of scientists, politicians and clergymen. The most crucial qualities of biographical museums (features attracting tourists) appeared to be the rank of the patron, the building and its surroundings, and presented exhibits. The most characteristic features distinguishing biographical museums from other types of museums are localizations in the authentic places where the patron stayed or lived and the character of exhibits. Localization in family homes, places of living or working brought about the specific character of those sites, which before being adapted for museum purposes had been lived in. Castles, palaces, manor houses, burgher buildings and ordinary village huts are among them. The seats of museums have historical artistic, aesthetic values. All of them have the status of relics. The Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork – one of the objects in cathedral group recognised as the monument of history, is most highly esteemed. Due to cognitive, educational and aesthetic qualities of exhibitions one should consider their wide scope of topics, variety of exhibits, their authenticity, uniqueness, the way of presentation of exhibits, organization of visiting as the most crucial aspects. While choosing elements of the interior, museums tend to preserve its natural appearance and function when it was used by the person who the museum commemorates. The patron’s memorabilia constitutes the main part: archival material, iconography, and objects of every day use, books. Exhibitions very often go beyond subjects of life and work of the patron, presenting the epoch, the history of the region, progress of the given profession, pieces of art contemporary to the patron. The survey conducted among visitors in chosen museums enabled to collect opinions and get some impressions. Visitors’ answers stress the most crucial features which they remembered despite the fact that some elements mentioned by them differed. The features can be divided into three groups in relation to place, exhibition and ambience. It can be concluded that an important role in perception of the exhibition is played by: surrounding and aesthetic qualities of the museum and ambience prevailing in the place. Details of the exhibition are remembered on condition that they are original. Many visitors stressed the fact that visiting should be re-organized to make it more attractive with possibility of closer contacts with exhibits. According to data of the Chief Census Bureau, in 1997 Polish museums were visited by 16 million people, out of which 5.7% was visiting biographical museums. Comparing attendance data from 1973 and 1991 it is clearly seen that the positions of the most popular museums are established (Tab. 2). Among 20 museums with the highest attendance rate, two biographical museums are always observed: the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum in Frombork and the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Żelazowa Wola. In the 1970s, the Lenin Museum in Poronin belonged to this group too. Since the half of the 1990s the Pope John Paul II’s Home in Wadowice has been included in the group of the most popular museums. The analysis of attendance in museums enabled to point out the factors, which contribute most to their popularity. Two most important are: the rank of the patron and the localization of the museum. Most often visited museums are dedicated to famous, well-known people (the Holy Father, Chopin, Sienkiewicz) or localized in tourist regions, sightseeing centres, resorts where tourists are potential guests of museums.