18.05.2013.

Media Center Odbrana, Military Museum and River Flotilla on Museum Nights

In this year's midnight walk through history, many fans of the capital’s 'Night of Museums” did not miss to visit Media Center "Odbrana" which together with the Military Museum has traditionally prepared a rich program for all fans and cultural events.

As one of the must-see destinations, the Saturday evening visitors chose to visit the Central Military Club in which the Media Center "Odbrana" presented an impressive collection of artworks of Novi Sad collector Djuro Popovic called "100 works from the collection of Djuro Popovic."

Admirers of art in the Gallery of the army were in a unique position to see the selection from the collection

that has about 1,000 artifacts, works of more than 300 artists Serbian and Yugoslav art works from the XIX and XX century, many of which have been presented to the public for the first time. Many of them are regarded by art critics as "top works of art of the modern Serbian, and in part of Yugoslav art." Art historian Nikola Kusovac for the occasion, made a selection of 100 works, including the works of Konstantin Danilo, Djura Jaksic, Steva Todorovic, Uros Predic, Beta Vukanovic, Sreten Stojanovic, Miodrag Protic and others.

Anyone who on this evening found themselves in front of the Central Military Club could not fail to see in candlelight, a special feature of the Museum Night, the recently restored masterpiece of Djura Jaksic "Beheading of Saint John the Baptist" from 1855 , from the said collection, which since its creation had been located in Romania. As part of the accompanying program, in the Atrium of the Central Military Club, in a special exhibition, the Belgrade audience was able to see the restoration of the painting.

For all fans of this year's walk through history, the Central Military Club once again opened the door to formal salons that adorn this building from the 1930s, with carved pieces of furniture of the old masters, where visitors were able to see the permanent collection and from the collection of the Gallery. And to make it more festive, the full-length of program was made even more beautiful by the performance of the Ministry of Defence "Stanislav Binički."

With great fanfare, at a time when the clock on the clock tower struck 18 pm, Military Museum marked the beginning of the tenth Night of Museums in Serbia. This warm welcome for the visitors was prepared by the SAF Guard band, which performed marches thus introducing guests and museum events in the world of military music, which is the theme of the exhibition in the museum in Kalemegdan.

According to Lt. Col. Dr. Ivan Mijatovic, Acting Chief of the Military Museum and chief of the museum department of this institution, it is expected that this year will surpass the last year's record number of visitors, and that the exhibition of the museum will be seen by more than 16 000 people.

- Our exhibitions always draw the attention which on Museum Night peaks. The gallery presented an exhibition entitled "Military music"

which tells the historical and cultural aspects of military music and its significance for the history of the army, while in the dungeons of the museum students and professors of the Faculty of Applied Arts at the old military press machines are demonstrating the process of making military maps, something even visitors can take part in- said Lieutenant Mijatovic, adding that the evening at Kalemegdan will be made even more agreeable by representative Guard Orchestra performing famous marches, and popular compositions.

In the 10th anniversary Museum Night, for the first time in two locations, the River Flotilla of the Serbian Armed Forces has participated.

The Barracks in Novi Sad "Aleksandar Beric" opened the Memorial room decorated as the hull of the ship, with the keel , in which the space between each rib symbolizes a significant period in the development of the River Flotilla.

The exhibition consists of more than 80 valuable artifacts. While visiting 16 different sections, with the expert guidance of Captain Dragan Spasojevic, the first dedicated to the creation and development of river flotilla of war from 1391 to1856 until the 16th part, showing the modernization of Fleet from 1981 to 1995, numerous visitors had the opportunity to see the history of boatmen in our region and specific SAF units. Surprise and attraction for visitors was the opportunity to take a picture in the small and large silhouettes of sailors and their ladies.

In cooperation with the flotilla, the Memorial Room, the members of the model making club Novi Sad presented

the exhibition of the works of its members with over sixty models of planes and tanks, as well as model trains "rumbling" in miniature city.

In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the ship "Sabac" anchored on the link on the Danube with famous promenade of Novi Sad Belgrade Quay, on whose deck and interior, in collaboration with the Museum of Vojvodina, the exhibition "Transatlantic travels of Eugene Malinaric has been set up" The hosts of the exhibition were captain Srdjan Stankovic, Commander of the ship's crew, were displayed items and weapons on overseas trips collected from the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by Eugen Malinaric River Commander of the Coastal Command from 1920 to 1929.