Global Journal of Human-Social Science, A: Arts and Humanities, Volume 21 Issue 12

Zbyn ě k Zbyslav Stránský’s Museological Impact on Spain Francisca Hernández Hernández¹ Abstract- Analyzing the trajectory of Z. Z. Stránský’s museological thinking and his commitment to the scientific character of museology allows us to assess the importance of his museological legacy. 1 study of the figure of Zbyn ě k Z. Stránský allows us to become better acquainted with the considerable work he produced during his academic and research life, he combined his knowledge of history, philosophy, archaeology, music theory, and museology. His production has enriched the scientific field and contributed to the deepening of humanistic values in European society. Indeed, Stránský's ideas have had a significant impact on many museology scholars, in Eastern Europe, in other European countries as well as in Latin America, who benefited from his courses at the International Summer School of Museology (ISSOM) and from his theoretical contributions to the International Committee for Museology (ICOFOM) during the 1980s. It is not surprising that his contributions have served as a point of reference for many museologists worldwide. The direct contact Stránský had with Spanish museologists, established through the debates held at ICOFOM and the ISSOM courses, makes it important to consider his influence on Spanish museology. Moreover, the study of the philosophical-scientific context, which is the basis of the entire concept of metamuseology, has served as a stimulus for Spanish museologists to direct their research work towards new museological currents. Indeed, they have done so in the conviction that they are providing a way of conceiving museology that is more in line with the needs of contemporary museums. Keywords: z. z. stránský, museological theory, scientific discipline, spanish museologists, museological education. I ntroduction Some people wonder whether Stránský's museological thinking is still relevant today and whether it can provide solutions to the questions that contemporary museums are asking themselves to face the challenges when it comes to museums’ raison d'être . 1 Retired Professor of Museology and Cultural Heritage at the Complutense University in Madrid. She was Academic Director of the Masters in Museology taught at the University from 1989-1999. She is a member of ICOM and ICOFOM and has published several books and articles on Museology, Heritage, and Archaeology. Her current research is devoted to theoretical and practical museology and its interrelation with Natural and Cultural Heritage. As is usually the case in all areas of theoretical reflection, Stránský had his followers and detractors. By some, he was considered as the creator of scientific museology by formulating and explaining the theoretical foundations of this discipline, while others criticized him because he focused too much on museological theory and, according to them, ignored the practice of museums, devoting himself to "Byzantine questions" that had nothing to do with the problems of contemporary society. However, Stránský never separated theory from practice in his study of museology if he was interested in anything, it was precisely in training museum professionals so that they could carry out their work with the guarantee of a theoretical basis (Stránský 1983: 76; 1987: 289). This article aims to highlight his contributions to the field of museology, to which he devoted much of his time and effort. In addition, it will analyze the impact on the development of Spanish museology of the man who, without doubt, can be considered the most important promoter of Czech museology during the second half of the 20 th century (Dolák and Varíková 2006) as well as the creator and promoter of scientific museology. I. S tránský and the need to R ethink M useology From the beginning of his research, Stránský (1981: 73) is convinced that it was necessary to rethink museology, trying to create a theoretical framework that would provide the consistency to become an authentic science. However, like any science, it needs to be based on philosophical principles that consider the ontological nature of its object, the epistemological dimension as a necessary instrument to understand the reality within a museum context, the aesthetic component as a way of discovering the creative capacity of human beings and the ethical requirement based on respect for the freedom of others and for those who are different (Carta de Coro 1999). To this end, he decided to apply systems theory to museology. Stránský, starting from his solid philosophical background, tried to lay the theoretical foundations of museology as an independent scientific discipline. He was aware that museum theory is presented "as a specific area of human intellectual activities, having certain characteristics of pure theory, with trends towards separating this theory and constituting it as a A © 2021 Global Journals Volume XXI Issue XII Version I 21 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2021 A Author: Retired Professor of Museology and Cultural Heritage at the Complutense University in Madrid. e-mail: francisc@ucm.es