Russian Museums: First Looting, Next Privatization?
“Thousands of items have apparently gone missing from state-run museums and galleries, the authorities recently announced. Is it time to consider privatizing some of Russia’s great museums?”
Vladimir Kozlov of Moscow News writes:
The grave situation with Russia’s state-run museums and their storage facilities went public two years ago, when a large theft from the country’s main museum, the Hermitage, was discovered. Not much was done about that particular case, and the blame was put on underpaid low-level employees who allegedly lifted some lower-shelf items just to make ends meet.
However, as it turned out, the Hermitage case triggered a large-scale inspection of all of the country’s state-run museums. The preliminary results were recently announced and came as a shock to anybody who cares about Russian culture: some 50,000 items belonging to the country’s museums are unaccounted for.
Kozlov proposes to address the problem of looting by selling off lesser provincial museums. After some analysis of the issues, he concludes:
… It seems like there is no way out besides putting smaller museums and galleries on sale, while stipulating the new owner’s rights and obligation as clearly as possible. When presented with the two options — losing a museum’s collection under the present situation, or possibly preserving at least part of it for the future by transferring it into private hands — why not go for the latter option?
“Should State Museums be Put on the Block?”
by Vladimir Kozlov @ Moscow News — 24/07/2008 — Link.
See also:
“Survey shows Russian museums missing 50,000 items”
by David Nowak @ Associated Press — Jul 17, 2008 — Link.
The State Hermitage Museum — Saint Petersburg, Russia
~ Karl Jones
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