IV. EMAC
June 24-28, Budapest - HUNGARY
Aspects of Quality and Success in Literary Museology
Anna Cséve
Scientific Coordinator
Petőfi Literary Museum
The Petőfi Literary Museum established a special profile among museums, fusing the characteristics of both literature
and museology. The museologist, based on his/her knowledge of the visual arts educates lovers of literature, and
through his/her knowledge of literary history brings visitors on a journey through literature in a museum.
This duality of literary museology, with its special way of using and exhibiting items of the museum’s collections, has
lead us to a successful renewal of the way our exhibitions are installed, and also to the popularity of our audiovisual
homepage www.pimmedia.hu.
Our experiences suggest that success can be achieved by way of establishing an intimate relationship towards
literature on the part of both museologist and visitor, in all fields of activity (exhibitions, special events and programs,
publications). The popularity of our temporary exhibiton ’Writers in bathing suits’ and of the publications and stage
performances based on writers’ diaries and letters proves the importance of finding links between literature and
people’s own life. We have also found it extremely important to invite contemporary writers and poets to participate in
interpretations, readings and re-readings of pieces of literature. Self-reflections to literary museology have become
institutionalized in cult researches, a new discipline that becomes more and more popular these days. Finally, I will
also talk about the ways the nature of success can be approached.
CV- Anna Cséve
Scientific Coordinator
Petőfi Literary Museum
H-1053 Budapest Károlyi M. 16.
+36-1-3173611
Work Experience
1998–
1995–1998
1992–1995
1985–1992
1980–1985
scientific coordinator, Petőfi Literary Museum
museologist, Petőfi Literary Museum, Archive of Manuscripts
store manager, Balassi Publishing House
housewife, raising children
museologist, Petőfi Literary Museum, Archive of Manuscripts
Education
2002–
1975–1980
1974
Eötvös Loránd University, PhD Program (Budapest)
József Attila University, Faculty of Humanities (Szeged)
High school graduation
Prizes
1998 Móricz Zsigmond Award
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