Open Door Week at BiH Historical Museum

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With a symbolic fire in stoves similar to those used during the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Open Door Week was launched yesterday, February 23, 2012, at the BiH Historical Museum, under the motto “Show your solidarity, let’s heat up the Museum”.

Solidariši se, ugrijmo Muzej (Photo Edin Puzić/Sarajevo-x.com)

The Open Doors Week aims to inform the academic and cultural public, politicians, diplomatic representatives, CSO representatives and the general public about the problems faced by the Historical Museum, one of the oldest cultural institutions in the country, and its fight for survival in such serious conditions.

"We want to inform the public about our collections, about the danger that threatens the cultural and historical heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That heritage does not belong to this Museum alone, it belongs to all citizens of BiH”, curator Elma Hašimbegović said at the press conference held at the Museum yesterday.

The Museum have been left without heating for 15 years, finally forcing its employees to close its doors to the public on January 4, 2012, and to move the artefacts and collections from exhibition hall to other rooms. The heavy snow this winter is a new threat, and the water that leaks through the roof threatens Mladen Srbinović’s mosaic “Bosna”, one of the most valuable items at the Museum.

Every day during the Open Door Week, a big poster will be lowered down the Museum’s facade at noon, with a message from the employees and friends of the Museum to the general public. Prominent artists will make their contribution to the efforts to save the Museum with concerts and performances.

Each day of the Open Door Week will focus on one target group. The coming weekend is reserved for the citizens who are invited to visit the Museum and support the efforts to preserve this important cultural institution.

The Open Door Week is supported by the Citizen Action (Akcija građana) association, in cooperation with individual citizens and other CSOs. Artist group Tanzelarija, the Color Crew, Emir Kapetanović, Asja Krsmanović, Gordana Anđelić Galić and Jusuf Hadžifejzović publicly supported the campaign. (Source: Sarajevo-x.com)