Project of the Oder-Neman Association: Digitalization of the collections of the Vilnius museums

The Oder-Neman Association (Stowarzyszenie Odra-Niemen) is implementing a big project in the Šalčininkai region aiming at creating a virtual museum and presenting there the museum collections.

“We have been awarded a financial grant for the project, which emerged from discussion with the Poles living in the Vilnius region. In the Šalčininkai region there are four museums important to us all. Two museums in Baltoji Vokė, the museum in Turgeliai and the museum of Anna Krepsztul are a splendid testimony of the historical and cultural heritage of this area. We want to present these collections and people whose life is connected with the museum” – said Ilona Gosiewska, the President of the Oder-Neman Association.

Collections from the Memorial Room of Anna Krepsztul in Tabariškės, Museum of the local history in the P.K. Brzostowski Secondary School in Turgeliai, Museum of the local history in the Event Centre in Baltoji Vokė and from the private collection of Edward Kurkianiec in the boiler room in Baltoji Vokė will be digitalized.

“We want to present these collections and places to people in Poland and other countries and we think that the Internet is the best option here. It would be splendid if we create multimedia museums displaying the magnificence of the Rūdninkų Forest or the Turgeliai region. We have a lot of recorded conversations with extraordinary people, it all has been digitalized, many photos of every exhibit has been taken. Later these collections will be given to specialists who will create an Internet portal” – explained Ilona Gosiewska.

Filmmakers, photographers, historians and volunteers catalogued the collections of the museums within two weeks. The collections will be available on the Internet on the portal of the Museum of Šalčininkai region in few weeks.

“Currently we collect data. I believe that in autumn, in October or November, the portal will be officially open. We are still looking for a place where the opening could be organized. We are invited to the Anna Krepsztul Museum, but all the details will be known in autumn” – said Ilona Gosiewska.