Russian Museum to open virtual branch in Polotsk

VITEBSK, 17 May (BelTA) – An information and educational center “Russian Museum: Virtual Branch” opens in Polotsk on 17 May. Polotsk State University has become a partner of the Russian Museum, BelTA learnt from pro-rector for scientific work of the university Dmitry Glukhov. The virtual branch of the Russian Museum will be opened at the place of the former Jesuit Collegium opened in 1581. Today it houses two departments – of history and philology, and IT. The primary goal of the information and education center “Russian Museum: Virtual Branch” is its educational and enlightenment activity. The virtual branch contains important scientific electronic and printed materials of the Russian Museum. For instance, the visitors may take a tour of 3D outstanding palaces of St. Petersburg, see digitized masterpieces of the established Russian artists. The center has an educational classroom equipped with computers and multimedia cinema. The Polotsk University has allocated its special services for this joint project. For the opening of the branch, the museum staff prepared a lecture-presentation on the famous painting from the collections of the Russian Museum - Vladimir and Rogneda by Anton Lysenko (1770), which tells the tragic history of the Princess of Polotsk and Prince of Kyiv. According to Dmitry Glukhov, the opening of the Russian Museum virtual branch will contribute to the aesthetic education of students, which meets the high requirements of university education, and will spiritually enrich the future professionals. Virtual tours of the Russian Museum will be also available for Polotsk school students and many tourists that come to Polotsk. Without a doubt, this will be an exciting experience. Dmitry Glukhov hopes that this project with the Russian Museum will not be the only one. According to him, the university and the museum are currently discussing opportunities for joint activities, including in information technologies. Polotsk State University continues the tradition of the great philosophers of the Belarusian land. The university faculty includes 16 doctors of sciences, professors and more than 150 PhDs, assistant professors. University scientists have created and patented over 900 inventions, useful models and industrial design samples. Technologies designed by the university have been patented in Belarus, Russia, France, Germany, united kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Japan and China. The university is the only Belarusian university which operates in two cities – in Polotsk and Novopolotsk. The university enrolls 14,000 students. The Information and Education Centre “Russian Museum: the Virtual Branch” in Polotsk State University will be the third virtual branch of the Russian Museum in Belarus and 83rd around the world.

БЕЛТА