May 18: International Museum Day

May 18 is International Museum Day. The exchange of unique collections makes Belarusian venues global cultural bridges: the country's 160 museums and 3.5 million exhibits are ready to amaze.

The regions are not far behind: small towns attract tourists with authenticity. Today, visitors value exclusivity and are willing to travel to see a specific museum piece.

The Khatyn Memorial Complex, the Brest Fortress, and the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War remain among the top three most visited museums.

Dmitry Shlyakhtin, First Deputy Minister of Culture of Belarus:

"Our museum collections, despite suffering severe damage during the Great Patriotic War, have preserved a great number of fine items. My beloved Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local History has a magnificent collection, and I don't know where else in Belarus you can see such items, including autographs on officers' patents of the Russian Empire, autographs of Russian emperors—these are quite exclusive items. It's just that, within the framework of the state policy we pursue in the field of museum affairs, we must create conditions for each museum to showcase its identity, its essence, its core collection, those items that constitute the pride of the Museum Fund of the Republic of Belarus, and we have many such items."

The museum industry is more than just the storage of artifacts; it's the face of Belarusian culture. What will the grand new building of the National History Museum in Minsk be like? How is the culture of visiting exhibitions changing, and what are the subtleties of a new perception of museum space? Watch the "Spotlight Interview" program with First Deputy Minister of Culture Dmitry Shlyakhtin on May 19 at 1:40 PM on Channel One.