Virtual Exhibitions as an Actual Form of Museum Communication

Abstract

The development of museum communication in the context of the introduction of digital technologies is a trend in the field of museum activity. It has become possible to visit the world's museums in the online format. At the same time, the virtual exhibition as a form of museum communication is not fully represented in the regional museums of the Altai Territory. In our opinion, this is due to the lack of understanding by museum specialists of the relevance of this form of museum communication and the lack of trained personnel who possess digital competencies in the field of museum activities. Since this issue remains unexplored, in order to identify the attitude of future specialists in the museum field to the processes of improving the forms of museum communication, the authors conducted a micro-study among students of the Altai State Institute of Culture of the training direction "Museology and protection of cultural and natural heritage", the orientation (profile) "Exhibition activity". As a result of the research, it was revealed that future museum specialists have a positive attitude to the introduction of digital technologies in the museum sphere and believe that virtual exhibitions are an actual form of museum communication, but the impressions are not comparable with a real visit to the exhibition. It is concluded that the development of the strategy of any museum will depend on the training of new museum personnel: thanks to specialists who know modern methods of work, an exhibition in the online format can become a brand of the museum or lose its relevance. The results of the research can be used to update the educational programs of professional education, curricula in the direction of training "Museology and protection of cultural and natural heritage".