Installation, archive, 2026
Alima Tokmergenova
In the 1980s, like other state institutions, museum staff received access to resources beyond the standard provisions. Archival documents (in particular, correspondence with the Ministry and internal orders) shed light on the daily life of the museum community during perestroika and the food crisis. Social support was provided through the organization of basic food supplies at fixed prices, holiday food packages, and access to limited-demand items, as well as assistance from the management in placing employees’ children in preschools (nurseries and kindergartens). The museum also owned two apartments converted into dormitories (one for women and one for men), and specialists in need could apply for their own housing on a waiting list. Thus, the museum, as a state institution, became a social security tool for its employees, helping to retain professionals in times of economic instability.
MAJIC 