TO SEE THE INVISIBLE. CONCEPT OF EXHIBITION “OPEN STORAGE OF POTTERY AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS COLLECTION OF THE STATE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM OF ARCHITECTURE NAMED AFTER A.V. SHCHUSEV”

The concept of “Open storage of pottery and construction materials collection of the State research institute and Museum of architecture named after A.V. Shchusev” adopted for implementation is considered in the article. A survey of collection items (collection contain more than 4000 items that allow to reflect diversity of construction materials used by master builders of ancient Rus’ and prior to the early 21st century. Having performed analysis of the Russian and foreign experience, the author argues that the selected form of exposition provides the access and maximum contact authentic items that the major part of them has not been displayed earlier. This concept is easily combined with the space of museum dedicated to architecture. It is well-known that the number of items in museum collections by far exceeds possibility to exhibit them in museum. Hence the principal reproach addressed to museum community: the greater part of any collection that are preserved in museum vaults are inaccessible to public. The main reason for that is the shortage of exposition areas. This shortage exists nearly at every Russian museum. With increasing frequency museums use for performance of their main function (storage and provision of social-cultural information not only exposition areas but also vaults in form of open storage.