History Museum as a Factor of Reconciliation and Public Dialogue

In the research on historical memory it has been established that manipulation of reminiscences and memory became a most powerful tool in managing of individual and social consciousness. Conflicts of historical memory in a society are always dangerous because they threaten with destabilization, disintegration. The most controversial problems of collective memory of the Ukrainian people and their neighbors relate to history of the XX century, especially the World War II and its manipulations causes a deeper social conflict, destabilizes social situation. Thus, this article is aimed at finding out the potential of a historical museum in overcoming the conflict in historical memory which is a factor of destabilization in modern Ukrainian society interfering with its integration and democratic development.

In the basis of modern understanding of a historical museum, researchers formulate a new vision of museum communication aiming at overcoming cultural and historical distance, establishing connections between the past, present and future, which leads to the revision of the museum work’s traditional structure. The museum can not be limited solely to passing scientific knowledge to its visitors. It is also necessary to consider motives and emotional requirements of the audience. By selecting the exhibits, extracting them from their cultural-historical environment, preserving and systematizing them, a museum becomes a specific channel of cultural-historical communication, a carrier of historical memory.

The analysis of the controversial and sensitive issues in the process of familiarization with museum exhibition provides the personality with the necessary skills for constructive interaction in society. Accordingly, in modern socio- cultural conditions the application of multi-perspective approach is important in the process of shaping the historical exhibition content. The important condition is the usage of multi-perspectivity in a context of a historical exibit, which foresees the consideration of certain historical problem from different points of view.

In such conditions a historical exibition can help with providing opportunities for the people to explore the ways of how the past has helped to shape various identities, common cultures, values and to form individual tolerance to diversity.

The vision of the museum as a social and cultural institution in modern conditions is complemented by understanding of its active role in social and cultural development of community. Exhibitions and other museum activities can become a tool for better understanding of today’s world and meet the needs of people at present.