Natural History Museum has been closed in June 2013 due to the expiration of its building and the exhibits are being relocated. It has been two years since the closure of the museum and we met with Director N.Zorigtbaatar to clarify on the dates of its reopening.
-Have the exhibits been all relocated?
-Our museum has dedicated fund for storing the exhibits and by the end of 2014 we have done the relocation of all the exhibits. The extension of the museum built in 1989 is now being use as fund for exhibits and the duration of the building is 50-60 years. Relocation of the exhibits was done in accordance with the protocol and have been placed in packages.
It is projected to be 7 floor, 15,500 sq.m building, three times bigger than the current one. Drawings have been done by Baldan-C company.
Financing of the project is estimated at MNT 24 billion
-Have the layouts for the new museum building done yet?
-Building layout prints have been done during the previous Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is projected to be 7 floor, 15,500 sq.m building, three times bigger than the current one. Drawings have been done by Baldan-C company.
Financing of the project is estimated at MNT 24 billion. We have submitted the layouts and project documents to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Also we have ensured the permission documents from the sewere, electricity and heating authorities.
-New building is projected at the current location. When the current building to be demolished?
-There are no conflicts on the land of the construction. Former Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been working on the funding of the project and submitted MNT 15 billion to be included into the state budget, unfortunately then Ministry of Economic Development rejected the proposal of funding.
New building will feature central laboratory to preprate exhibits to be sent to museums in 21 aimags, 4D cinema, conference hall to accomodate 250 people. Paleontological exhibits are estimated to be displayed on 10 percent of the total space.
-Once the financing of the project has been rejected in the 2015 State Budget, does it mean that the project is not going to proceed until next year?
-We have been submitting requests to Minister L.Gantumur since January on two main aspects. First is, to include the financing of the project in the State Budget for 2016 and secondly, resolve the project implementation with the concession agreement.
Ministry specialists have agreed that the concession agreement is the most appropriate approach for the project implementation and the inter-ministerial discussions are being held, then the issue to be submitted to the cabinet discussion.
-When do you see the new museum might open its doors to the visitors?
-If the financing wasn't rejected in the budget of 2015 we were able to demolish the current building within this year and start the construction works in 2016. If we succeed to have funds to be included in budget of 2016 new museum can be opened by the end of 2018.
-What are the employees planning to do during the hiatus?
-As long as the new building space will be three times as big there is need to increase the number of exhibits as well. Our advantage is we are doing research nationwide. Our researchers are doing the studies on increasing the exhibits and other employees are being trained in Russia for the new skills.
Natural History Museum has been closed in June 2013 due to the expiration of its building and the exhibits are being relocated. It has been two years since the closure of the museum and we met with Director N.Zorigtbaatar to clarify on the dates of its reopening.
-Have the exhibits been all relocated?
-Our museum has dedicated fund for storing the exhibits and by the end of 2014 we have done the relocation of all the exhibits. The extension of the museum built in 1989 is now being use as fund for exhibits and the duration of the building is 50-60 years. Relocation of the exhibits was done in accordance with the protocol and have been placed in packages.
It is projected to be 7 floor, 15,500 sq.m building, three times bigger than the current one. Drawings have been done by Baldan-C company.
Financing of the project is estimated at MNT 24 billion
-Have the layouts for the new museum building done yet?
-Building layout prints have been done during the previous Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is projected to be 7 floor, 15,500 sq.m building, three times bigger than the current one. Drawings have been done by Baldan-C company.
Financing of the project is estimated at MNT 24 billion. We have submitted the layouts and project documents to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Also we have ensured the permission documents from the sewere, electricity and heating authorities.
-New building is projected at the current location. When the current building to be demolished?
-There are no conflicts on the land of the construction. Former Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been working on the funding of the project and submitted MNT 15 billion to be included into the state budget, unfortunately then Ministry of Economic Development rejected the proposal of funding.
New building will feature central laboratory to preprate exhibits to be sent to museums in 21 aimags, 4D cinema, conference hall to accomodate 250 people. Paleontological exhibits are estimated to be displayed on 10 percent of the total space.
-Once the financing of the project has been rejected in the 2015 State Budget, does it mean that the project is not going to proceed until next year?
-We have been submitting requests to Minister L.Gantumur since January on two main aspects. First is, to include the financing of the project in the State Budget for 2016 and secondly, resolve the project implementation with the concession agreement.
Ministry specialists have agreed that the concession agreement is the most appropriate approach for the project implementation and the inter-ministerial discussions are being held, then the issue to be submitted to the cabinet discussion.
-When do you see the new museum might open its doors to the visitors?
-If the financing wasn't rejected in the budget of 2015 we were able to demolish the current building within this year and start the construction works in 2016. If we succeed to have funds to be included in budget of 2016 new museum can be opened by the end of 2018.
-What are the employees planning to do during the hiatus?
-As long as the new building space will be three times as big there is need to increase the number of exhibits as well. Our advantage is we are doing research nationwide. Our researchers are doing the studies on increasing the exhibits and other employees are being trained in Russia for the new skills.