The Social and Economic Impact of COVID 19 Pandemic on Museums. Case Study: „Princely Court” National Museum Ensemble

Abstract

The new coronavirus (Covid-19) is one of the main challenges world today has to address. With no large scale availability vaccine yet, and more or less experimental medical treatments for curing the disease, we can safely say that we are still far behind a solution to this problem. This new pandemic is considered the biggest threat to the global economy since the Second World War and there is no aspects of human life have not been affected it, spiritual ones included. Its high contagiousness, as well as novelty, raised all kind of challenges and one of the main ones was our manner to produce answers, in early stages at least, this creating problem on its own and of its design. As well as all the other institutions, theatres, cinemas, concert halls, spaces of socialization and in the same time places of wonder, knowledge and spiritual enrichment the museums were heavily affected by the pandemic crisis, especially those who’s collections are not, but in very small proportion available, to the public through virtual media. Such a case is „Princely Court„ National Museums Ensemble from Targoviste, Dambovita County, Romania. The present paper proposes an overview of the highlights in institution′s activity the past years in comparison with how the pandemic crisis affected its activity in the past months and what were the responses given to keep the museum in the eye of the public. It will also try to summarize how and to what extent the activity went back to „normal” after the emergency state earlier imposed was lifted and how the visitors responded to the new realities.