Mythologization as A Feature of the Museum Narrative

Using the example of the memorial apartments of A. Akhmatova (34 Fontanka River embankment) and A. Blok (57 Dekabristov St.) in St. Petersburg, two types of museum narrative are presented — mythologized and biographical. The mythological narrative sacralizes the main points of the biography and creates an extremely valuable image of the character. The biographical narrative invites the visitor to follow the dates of his life and work. The story of the guide and the artifacts of the exposition in the A. Akhmatova museum illustrate the author’s myth of the poetess, corresponding to her artistic masks. The logic of the narrative is sustained in the dichotomy of the sacred and the profane. The imagery, symbolism, speech structure of the excursions and the logic of the expositions are brought into line with Akhmatova’s worldview. The creators of the A. Blok Museum focus on the authenticity of the exhibits. Lecturers do not seek to introduce visitors to the mythopoetic type of utterance. The feeling of uniqueness of the place is created through the memorial value of the objects. The symbolism of the figurative series of the exposition has not been disclosed. The logic of the narrative is based on a biographical chronology.