OVERALL 53 THOUSAND PEOPLE VISITED MATENADARAN IN 2009

ARMENPRESS
Dec 18, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: About 3 632 groups have paid a
visit in the running year to the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts
after M. Mashtots – Matenadaran, in which 53 010 people were involved.

Head of the exhibition-hall of Matenadaran Aida Charkhchyan told
Armenpress that this index has decreased a bit over the previous year.

About 3 717 groups visited Matenadaran in 2008, in which 56 640 people
were involved. According to Charkhchyan, the decrease is connected
with the global financial crisis, as well as with AH1N1 infection.

"A great number of school-children visit Matenadaran annually over
the months of December and November, but schools were closed this
year because of the infection", A. Charkhchyan said.

France is in the first place with the number of tourists who visited
Matenadaran, then comes Italy, Germany, Russia and USA. Last year
the number of tourists Germany was especially great. The number of
tourists arrived from Japan has decreased this year over 2008 as well.

About 300 manuscript books dating back to 5-18th centuries are
presented in the 2 halls of Matenadaran, 14 000 of which are in
Armenian and 3 000 – in other languages. Overall 17 000 manuscript
books and 100 000 archive documents are kept in the Institute of
Ancient Manuscripts.