Pre-reading
a) Do people in your city visit the museums, exhibitions, and galleries?
b) Are certain museums especially popular among the young people?
Today the Museum collection numbers over 100000 monuments of natural history, material and spiritual culture. Especially rich are the collections on archaeology, ethnography, and history of mining business. The Museum has kept the rich collections of Gebler and Frolov. The collections of manuscripts and rare books, published in Russia before the 18th century, contain about five hundred copies. Intense interest is aroused by samovars, ceramics, Russian embroidery and lace. Parts of the embroidery have been lost, but having been carefully restored, it can still be considered an integral artistic whole. The surviving fragments of the embroidery enable us to picture its original colour range. Thus the embroidery emphasized the composition with colours.
The calligraphy of the old – printed books seems to be printed and the magical illumination of margins and letters in colour that for the most part still seem fresh, appear as vivid as when they were created some centuries ago. The venerable texts from the Bible, time and again used as prayers and read in services, throughout the year, had, however, been “ recorded “, since time immemorial. The intention was that they should be handed down without changes or mistakes. Finally, the holy words themselves became the object of representation when the beginning of texts was emphasized with especially embellished initial letters. Such decoration was subject to widely differing artistic rules in scripture.
The most valuable exhibits include a bas – relief of Akinfy Demidov, the factory – owner from the Urals, clichés to mint the coins, a sarmat – warrior bust reconstructed after M. M. Gerasimov, I.I. Polzunov’s steam engine model ( monument to Ivan Polzunov, an eminent inventor, is in front of the Altai Technical University), Altai silver wares, merchant’s utensils, ceramics.
The museum principally features the natural conditions of our region. We can see a number of stuffed animals, as well as many pictures showing the life of wild and domestic animals and plants. The excursion to this museum gives the people much to think about.
Today, thanks to the painstaking efforts of the museum staff, the Museum of Regional Studies is open to public and its exhibitions are as popular in an attraction as the painting galleries, it gives a keen insight into the lifestyles and tastes of the people of that time.
The Museum’s future seems secure as it was officially recognized as a nationally valuable collection in 1937, in 1937 the Barnaul Museum became the Museum of Regional Studies. Annually about 120 thousand people visit the museum. It makes great contribution to the spiritual development of citizens. The plate on the building runs: a historical and cultural monument.
Comprehension
1. Various proper names are mentioned in the text. Say what the ones below refer to.
a) Demidov,
b) Polzunov,
c) M. Gerasimov,
d) P. Frolov,
e) F. Gebler.
2. Finish the statements below with the ending that is best according to the text.
Today the Museum collection numbers over 100000…
a) valleys,
b) areas,
c) monuments,
d) texts.
The most valuable exhibits include…
a) a statue of Peter the Great,
b) a bas – relief of Akinfy Demidov,
c) a monument of Ivan Polzunov,
d) a picture by Surikov.
The museum principally features the natural conditions of…
a) the Lake District,
b) England and Wales,
c) our region,
d) the National Park.
3. Complete the summary below by writing one word in each gap.
The Museum has the rich _______ and _______ collections. Especially rich are the collections on _______, _______, history of mining business. Intense interest is aroused by _______, _______, Russian _______ and lace. The calligraphy of the _______ books seems to be printed. The most valuable exhibits a _______ of Akinfy Demidov. The museum principally features the natural conditions of our _______. Today, thanks to the painstaking efforts of the museum _______, the Museum of Regional _______ is open to public. Annually about 120 _______ people visit the museum. It makes great _______ to the _______ development of our citizens.
4. Various numbers are mentioned in the text. Say what the ones below refer to.
a) 100000,
b) 1937,
c) 120000.
Vocabulary
5. Find words and expression in the texts which describe the museum and its collections.
Viewpoint
6. What is the role of the Museum of Regional Studies in the spiritual development of our citizens?