Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- At the forty-second plenary session of the Senate, the results of a parliamentary inquiry sent to the Agency for Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan on measures to store museum items and collections and ensure their safety were discussed.

It was noted that the Agency carried out certain work in this direction. In particular, an electronic form of the National Museum Fund (www.goskatalog.uz) has been created, which includes about 1.2 million museum items and collections.

Based on the resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Journey to the Past program was organized, under which more than 800 thousand people visited museums. Of these, 82 thousand citizens, including persons with disabilities included in the "iron notebook", "women’s notebook" and "youth notebook", 605 thousand pupils and students, 113 thousand employees of state organizations and institutions.

In connection with the nationwide action "My contribution to the national heritage!" residents donated 3,400 items and products to museums. Also, at the expense of the State budget, the Agency for Cultural Heritage purchased 23 items and products in the amount of 307 million soums in 2022, and as of June 1, 2023, 106 items and products in the amount of 2.4 billion soums.

At the meeting, the senators emphasized that, along with the work done, the issues raised in the parliamentary inquiry are not fully reflected in the information provided, and problems still persist.

Thus, it was noted that the regulatory legal acts relating to the activities of museums are scattered, their number exceeds 100, most of the provisions of the Law "On Museums" are outdated, it is necessary to clearly define the authorized body in this area.

The rules for organizing and holding local and foreign exhibitions of museum items and museum collections outside museum buildings have not been established.

Equipping norms regarding the construction, repair of museum buildings, storage and protection of museum objects and museum collections have not been adopted.

The activities of restoration laboratories at the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan, the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan, the Karakalpak State Art Museum named after I.V. Savitsky, the creation of which was scheduled for 2022, have not been established.

Today there is a need to create a centralized laboratory for the restoration of museum items and collections.

The museum buildings are in need of repair, in some of them the heating and air conditioning system does not work, the material and technical base is obsolete.

The technical equipment of the museum exposition does not meet the requirements and standards of museums.

In particular, the State Literary Museum named after Alisher Navoi has not been renovated since 1968, the communication system of the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan and the State Museum of the History of Applied Arts and Handicrafts of Uzbekistan has not been reconstructed since 1970. House-Museum Tamarahonim needs major repairs

According to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 975 dated December 11, 2017, construction and repair work was not carried out at the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan, the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan and the State Museum of the History of Applied Arts and Crafts.

Since 2021, they have been talking about the construction of a new building of the State Museum of Literature named after Alisher Navoi in the Alley of Writers in the city of Tashkent - in the town of Manaviyat. However, this issue has not yet been resolved. The implementation of the resolutions of the President and the Government, providing for the repair of the museum, has not been ensured. The museum building has no conditions, which is why the 69,575 rare items stored here are at risk.

Work has not been completed on the introduction of an automated ticketing system in museums, the installation of turnstiles with an electronic registration system at the entrance.

Violations of legislation in the museum sphere, the reasons for their occurrence and the conditions conducive to them have not been analyzed.

The printed form of the State Catalog of the National Museum Fund has not been published.

Work on advanced training and retraining of executives and specialists of museums of the republic has not been established on a systematic basis. There are not enough specialists to conduct an examination of museum items and collections.

At the end of the discussion, the senators unanimously approved the resolution of the Senate, which determines the appropriate measures for a positive resolution of the above issues.