Events
Annual celebrations to mark the International Day of Museums are held in Hrodna State Historical-Archaeological Museum. Unlike other museums of Belarus, which spend only “A Day at the Museum” or “A Night at the Museum”, our Museum is the only one to present the project “Day and Night at the Museum”. Visitors have the opportunity to see both the expositions of the museum, and the exhibitions which are on display at that time, to participate in the events held in the Old and in the New Castles.
The final chord of the program in 2008 was the performance of Slavic martial arts club “Aridan” and the concert program of the Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Barys Myahkow “Just Jazz”. In 2009 at the end of the evening program there was presented a musical composition based on the rock opera by Webber and Rice “Jesus Christ – Superstar” performed by the students of Hrodna pedagogical College. The play “The Tragedy of Macbeth” staged by Hrodna Regional Puppet Theatre in 2010 (direction and scenography by Aleh Zhuhzhda) brought real pleasure to the viewers who saw it on the ruins of the castle of Grand Duke Vitawt. The following year the museum prepared a feast called “Secrets of excitement”. The visitors had the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of games at the show which ran only that evening; to see the tricks, the body art show; to learn how playing cards are lay out by the professional croupier. The evening program in 2012 was called “The Night of the fan and the reverence”, in 2013 the audience were prosed the program called “The Oriental Night in the New Castle”.
With a view to wider participation of the Museum in the educational process in the schools of the city and the region and to influence the formation of close relationship with the youth the Museum organizes and conducts various competitions.
“Museum in colors” is a children art contest among students of art schools, schools and classes with specialization in arts, extracurricular educational centers of Hrodna.
Our Museum initiates the youth contest of photographers “Museum through the camera”, which is aimed at the attracting of creative young people to the modern museum as well as at helping young photoamateurs to reveal their creative potential, to develop individual abilities and aesthetic taste. The winners take part in the International Competition “Museum Meetings” which takes place in Kashalin (Poland).
“Voices of History” is a regional local lore competition for students of grades 8-10 and members of local history circles from all over the region. It is held together with Hrodna Center of tourism and local history with the aim of broadening and activating the local lore and history movement among the students and teachers in the educational institutions of the region, cultivating respect to the natural and cultural heritage of their native land, preservation of historical memory and traditions of Belarusian people.
In March 2014 there was announced the designer’s mastership competition “A Ticket to the Museum”. Participation in this contest was open to designers, artists and just creative, imaginative and talented people who have reached the age of 18 and who would like to try to create an unforgettable, bright, interesting, memorable entrance ticket.
Solemn registration of marriage is a service that takes place by appointment in the New Castle interiors. The Royal Palace of the XVIIth century is an unusual place for marriage. For several centuries the palace walls have been witnessing important historical events. In modern days the Royal Residence door is open for all the lovers who want to unite their destinies in the apartment of his Majesty Stanislaw Awgust Paniatowsky. The guests are greeted by the noble hosts of the Royal Residence, and Palace interiors make such marriage registration ceremony even more sublime , solemn and memorable.
The Museum staff eleborated the script for the events “Birthday at the Museum” for children 6-10 years old.
Within the framework of the Belarusian Festival of National Cultures opening days are usually held, Lithuanian and Polish сourt yards are arranged on the territory of the Old and the New castles respectively. There you can listen to music and watch the performances of different amateur collectives, buy the works of folk artists and masters, taste national dishes .
Three times a year an exhibition-fair “The World of Gems” where you can get advice and buy various articles made of silver, nickel silver, natural semiprecious and ornamental stone, wood and others.
The Museum hosts a variety of conferences, presentations, concerts, literary and musical evening parties dedicated to the most important historical, cultural and literary events and phenomena in the society. In 2011 special events to mark the 120th anniversary of the classic of Belarusian literature Maxim Bahdanovich were held by the House-Museum of M. Bahdanovich together with other cultural and educational institutions of Hrodna area. In October 2013 the New Castle hosted the conference “Hrodna of Stefan Batory times” devoted to the 480th anniversary of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
Thus, the Museum seeks to include in its activities both educational and recreational forms of work which may be of interest for tourist groups from Belarus and Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Germany and others.