‘CULTURAL SHOCK’: MUSEUMS’ ACTIVITY DURING THE PANDEMIC

Abstract

The questions related to museums’ operations worldwide in 2020, namely during the so-called enforced quarantine resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, are tackled. The actions of museums and other cultural institutions in reaction to the unexpected world pandemic and henceforth derived sanitary restrictions aborting the regular operations of museum as well as the fulfilment of their statutory mission are discussed. Statistical data and conditionings of museums’ activities in different countries are analysed. Furthermore, the major documents issued by organizations such as UNESCO or ICOM are presented and briefly characterized. Additionally, the focus is put on the analysis of cultural policies with museology in mind proposed domestically and internationally, and aiming at providing institutional and financial support to museums’ operations. Moreover, questions are posed related to the possible direction of changes in museology caused by the pandemic. A subjective selection of the most interesting online events of the first pandemic wave has been presented. Also, an attempt has been made to diagnose the future of exhibiting in the digital era.