Wikimedia CEE Hub/Microgrants/report/Photographing streets and museum exhibits in Astana and Petropavl for Wikimedia Commons
- By: Muzaffar Turgunov
As part of the initiative, I traveled to Kazakhstan from July 15 to July 25. During the trip, I contacted museum staff in advance and conducted photo sessions with their assistance. At the beginning of each session, I introduced myself and explained the goal of the Wikimedia movement.
Photo documentation was organized in two cities — Astana and Petropavl — and in three key cultural institutions:
- National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Astana)
- National Center of Manuscripts and Rare Books (Astana)
- Museum complex "Residence of Abylai Khan" (Petropavl)
- Museum complex "Residence of Abylai Khan" (Petropavl)
Additionally, I took photos of historical buildings and streets in both cities. In total, over 220 images were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. More than 20 Wikipedia articles were created or expanded, and 5 new Commons categories were created to better structure the media content.
The project contributed not only to enriching Wikimedia projects with free cultural and historical content from Kazakhstan but also raised awareness among museum staff about open knowledge platforms like Commons and Wikipedia.
| Additional part of the report (Lessons learned) |
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Throughout the project, its implementation and organizational work gave us strong motivation and a positive atmosphere. Museum employees and history professors participated in the photo shoots, and some of them were introduced to Wikimedia Commons for the first time. We successfully engaged several museum staff members in contributing or supporting uploads to Commons. More than 220 photographs were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. Articles about the historical exhibits we visited were rewritten and expanded with the help of the newly taken photos. The only difficulty we encountered was the increase in air temperature. On the day of the photo training session, the temperature reached 25°C, which surprisingly turned into a motivational factor rather than an obstacle. During the photo walks, we documented not only museum interiors but also city streets and historical buildings, adding broader visual context to the Wikimedia projects. |
- Financial report
Below is the detailed financial breakdown of the expenses. The total spent amount is exactly €650.00.
| Type of expense | Description | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Transport | Intercity and local transport between Astana and Petropavl | 132.50 |
| Accommodation | Hostel and lodging expenses in both cities | 235.00 |
| Meals and refreshments | Food, tea, coffee, snacks, etc. | 106.45 |
| Museum entrance fees | Tickets and access permission for photo documentation | 36.10 |
| Equipment and supplies | Camera accessories, batteries, memory cards, etc. | 62.95 |
| Miscellaneous | Internet, printing, and other small costs | 77.00 |
| Total | 650.00 |
- Achieved metrics
We managed to achieve all our target metrics. Main results in the following table:
| Metric | Target | Result | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos uploaded to Wikimedia Commons | 220+ | 220+ | High-quality images from 3 museums and city streets |
| Wikipedia articles improved or created | 15 | 21 | Focused on historical and cultural topics |
| New Commons categories created | 3 | 5 | For each museum and location |
| Museums documented | 2 cities, 3 museums | Achieved | Astana and Petropavl museums covered |
| People engaged | 3+ | 7 (including museum staff) | Some were introduced to Commons for the first time |