Research Platform of the National Museum of Agriculture

The Legacy of Professor Dr. Josef Kazimour

The aim of the National Museum of Agriculture, PBO (henceforth NMA) is to create and secure a long-term development of a research platform related to its research goals as defined in the Policy Outline of the National Museum of Agriculture, PBO, 2016–2022. Goals of this policy include research leading to new scientific insights as well as the processing and publication of research results related to the twelve areas of research. The museum’s main goal is to fully scientifically process its collections, investigate the environment in which the items were created, and to achieve a better balance of knowledge with respect to the individual sub-collections. Particular research goals include research in the history of agriculture, but also forestry, fish farming and fishing, and the development of rural areas. This research should be carried out in an interdisciplinary manner and in connection with promoting sustainable economy and increased self-sufficiency and the potential of social enterprise. The museum also aims at making full use of its collections and other information for the purpose of identifying traditional, sustainable approaches to production in agriculture, forestry, fish farming, and food production proper. Its goal is to present its collections and the results of research into the agrarian sector through long-term and temporary exhibitions, commented catalogues, catalogues expositions and exhibitions, publications, conferences, workshops, lectures, and by creating a platform that would bring together experts in these areas.

Current research of the NMA is designed so as to include a maximally broad range of subjects related to agriculture, thus fully reflecting the fact that agriculture is a basic socioeconomic phenomenon which has been shaping the society for millennia. The museum is a rich source of information for other research institutions, which makes it an important element in a research network that is now being established, and which, it is hoped, will promote collaboration in addressing the tasks of research and development. The NMA has at its disposal large collections of material evidence related to the development of agriculture, forestry, hunting, fish farming and fishing, gardening, processing of agricultural products, and witnesses to the development of rural area and cultural landscape of both domestic and international origin. Alongside these large collections, the museum also has a unique photo archive, a specialised library, and a specialised archive.

The purpose of addressing the thematic areas of research listed below is an investigation of phenomena in their full and comprehensive context, with the aim of using the thus acquired knowledge in current and future practice, especially in relation to traditional approaches and sustainable economy. It also helps to reveal, investigate, and communicate historically specific facts which are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the future development of society. The research policy of the museum thus fully corresponds to the three key areas defined in the ‘Policy Outline of the National Museum of Agriculture, PBO, 2016–2022’ document, whose central theme is sustainability.

Areas of research:

1. Museology
2. Countryside, agriculture, landscape, ethnography, and traditions
3. Rural and regional development
4. Forestry, forest economy, and game management
5. Aquatic ecosystems, pond management, and fishing
6. Gardening (fruit and vegetable growing, floristics), viticulture, and beekeeping
7. Mechanisation in agriculture and forestry
8. Service buildings related to agriculture, forestry, and related areas
9. Food industry, industries related to agriculture, and meat production
10. Culinary heritage of the Czech Lands
11. Countryside and agriculture in art
12. Important personalities of agriculture, forestry, fishing and fisheries, gardening, agricultural enterprise, and related areas.
     

As an institution with a nation-wide scope of activity, the NMA sees it as its goal to contribute to the development of expert activities related to its areas of operation throughout the Czech Republic. Moreover, awareness of the extraordinary contribution of the pioneering work of Professor Dr. Josef Kazimour inspires us to follow up on the principles he defined and to further promote not only the quality of scientific work carried out at the NMA, but also to create and support a network of collaborating institutions involved in areas of our interest.

We hope that all this should result in a better appreciation and utilisation of hitherto neglected potential both in terms of regional collections and in terms of experts. Moreover, we hope to create a new space for various positive synergic reactions that would contribute to scientific knowledge and popularisation of agriculture and landscape care. To aid this process, we want to create an open platform that would enable the participation of further collaborators or institutions whose activities are related to areas of our interest. This should result in a growth of interest in agrarian subjects and their popularisation. This platform would facilitate the participation of NMA employees, but also other collaborators who would cooperate with us on the basis of temporary employment agreements, project contracts, licence agreements, or other types of contracts. This platform should also lead to research collaboration with other scientific institutions, museums, agrarian associations, and other partners, usually based on contractual relations (framework agreement, agreement on collaboration, research agreement, etc.) that would define the extent of cooperation as well as mutual rights and obligations. This does not exclude the possibility of informal collaboration with other institutions. 

Core Activities:

1. To seek and create a network of collaborating persons and institutions.
2. To administer an internal grant system or allocate specific resources to contractual cooperation with the purpose of financing activities.
3. To enable participating partners a presentation of their research and development activities in exhibitions or spaces of the National Museum of Agriculture (popularisation of science).
    

In case you are interested in cooperation with the National Museum of Agriculture, further information can be acquired by contacting us at jitka.sobotkova@nzm.cz.

Text authors: PhDr. Jitka Balcarová, Ph.D.; Mgr. Antonín Šimčík, 12 July 2016 in Prague

The text was endorsed by the Science Council of the National Museum of Agriculture, PBO, at its meeting on 14 July 2016.