KA366_New technology and development of culture tourism in Kizhi museum

The history of computerization of the KIZHI museum began in 1991 when the first computer was bought. Since then adaptation of new technologies and its application to the museum work were started. The Kizhi museum has always kept up with the times and taken the lead both among Karelian and Russian museums. In 1998 the department of information and computer technologies was established in our museum. Nowadays the corporate computer network unites four museum’s buildings in Petrozavodsk and four buildings on the Kizhi Island. More than 100 computers are connected to the museum’s network. New technologies are used almost in all areas of the museum’s activity. 

The first version of the museum’s web-site was published in 1998. Now it is available in Russian and English languages and consists of several sections, for example, information about visiting on Kizhi Island, the museum exhibitions, excursions, events and programs in Petrozavodsk, museum collections (more than 20 catalogues), archaeological heritage, and videos of traditional crafts. The section of architectural monuments includes the internet-project “In front of the world” (information about the restoration of the Transfiguration church) which was begun in 2004. The web-camera directed to the Kizhi ensemble was set up in 2005 that allows visitors of the web-site to see the process of the restoration. The web-site includes also sections of E-library, E-shop (created in 2006), E-map of Kizhi and Zaonezhie. The section “Kizhi virtual tours” consists of games, virtual trips, interactive video guide and excursions, multimedia collection of unique icons. Furthermore, the Kizhi museum was the first one in Karelia which tested technologies of electronic sales. In 2004 the booking and sales system “TicketNet” (the developer is “InfoTech”. St. Petersburg) was launched in the museum. The system became a part of the electronic marketing complex. Today the museum web-site takes the third place in the rating of “Museums of Russia” portal which includes all Russian museums and galleries.

In June 2014 the application of interactive mobileguide of Petrozavodsk “Contemporary Old City” was launched in the section of museum’s web-site. Everyone who has an Android gadget can download and use it. The application was developed in cooperation with the Karelia University of Applied Sciences (North Karelia, Finland) within the frame of the project “Contemporary Old City: enhancing cultural tourism across the border” (Karelia ENPI CBC). 

Daria Kocherina

Department of tourist and excursion services

Kizhi State Open-air museum, Petrozavodsk