It is evident that implementation of the notion of Culture as unity of spiritual, scientific and esthetic principles, new esthetics based on ideas of Peace and Love, human-being-nature harmony leads to solution of many certain tasks by joint efforts of all the elements forming a single chain. Ecological education in this framework is a part of unity, a new noosperic esthetics which considers the planet as an animated organism, the human society – not as “a big factory” but as the cultural value, man – as “a spiritual creature which receives energy from cultural space”.
N.K. Roerich formed this task in terms of ideas of Culture “…we would not forget the young generation which we should prepare for ascension. Thus, having accumulated all the greatest treasures of the past and creating new images of heroism, deed and spiritual beauty let’s show our youngsters what are the true treasures, which is the Great Reality, what can human spirit lean upon”.
In this relay race of knowledge and culture, process of creation of “ strongholds of humanity in the inhumane world” one of the most active participants is the museum which meaning in all multilateral aspects of modern human life and especially in cultural and educational work is growing persistently. One of the main constituents of this activity is ecological education which becomes more and more relevant nowadays.
The idea of the museum not only as a storage of cultural values but as research and educational center which directly concerns cognition of nature is as old as the notion “museum” itself.
Museum emerged as “museon” – temple of all Muses including Urania –the goodness of astronomy. It also refers to the Academy of Platon and Alexandria museum which employed the best, Library-museum-school in civilizations of Ancient East, the first middle ages museums emerged in Universities.
Beginning from the Reneissance museum collections were regarded as origins of science used for education and meeting curiosity requirements.
Later the notion of museum collections as phenomenon fixation of public and historical experience transferred from one generation to the successive one and museum as keeper of this experience, the establishment which reduces the way and expands borders of cognition emerged…
High destination of museum in the context of cultural and spiritual human evolution was formed more than 100 years ago by N.F.Fedorov, our outstanding compatriot and cosmist philosopher in his main work “Philosophy of general deed” which endows museum with the most vital spiritual and moral, educational mission aimed at joining all people in a true brotherhood continuing all the best spiritual traditions of the past generations and, thus, reviving them. “The museum is the first scientific and artistic attempt to collect or educate unity, therefore, this attempt is a religious, sacred deed; call for service to motherland, general address to everyone without exclusion beginning from childhood…”. “Entering the museum is equal to entering the church, as a gigantic body of the humanity, receiving of commandments on aims and duties imposed by the new religion of unity. Thus, museum will act for soul education making everyone a museum-like creature”.
Education of moral conscience, brother people from museum goers should be proliferated among all the people as unity, each with everyone, each as one: nation can and must act as “brotherhood, as one person”
The task of “study, teaching, activity” – 3 main functions of museum – should be proliferated among all the people, all the humanity for it “to become from elemental force the unity of morally reasonable people, the brotherhood”.
“The study on unity is a religious study…” – stated N.F. Fedorov.
Natural study is an integral part of this mission:
“Is museum entitled according to the old definition to remain only the assembly of scientists, meal only for famous people of all the Earth which is called by the author of Appolo Tiansky’s life instead of being universal Eucharist of knowledge?...
In terms of Christianity museum is evidently not the assembly of scientists but assembly of all; its destination is “to catch people”. Studies, i.e. science cannot be just abstract knowledge, it should become research on reasons preventing us all to be members of the museum, researchers and unite for common patriotic deed…
“Religion, science, art are forces which gather but which are powerless taken separately…”