OPENING OF EXHIBITION “MAGIC OF AMBER” AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Belgrade, 10 May, 2006 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine attended the opening of the exhibition “Magic of Amber” at the National Museum of Belgrade .

The exhibition includes representative pieces of amber from the archaeological collection of the National Museum as well as from other museums and institutions from Serbia and Montenegro and was organized on the occasion of the 162nd anniversary of the foundation of the National Museum.

Beside Their Royal Highnesses, among the attendees at the exhibition were HE Dr Andreas Zobel, German Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, architect Miladin Lukic, Assistant Minister of Culture of Serbia, architect Dragomir Acovic, member of Advisory Bodies of The Crown, professor Marica Suput, Dean of The Faculty of Philosophy, as well as many other representatives of the cultural and academic life of Belgrade.

Dr Tatjana Cvijeticanin General Manager of the National Museum warmly welcomed the large number of attendees and expressed her gratitude to all the cultural institutions, museums and hard working individuals who made this exhibition possible and “made it magical and curative”. Beside thanking the authors of exhibition: Prof Dr Alexander Palavestra and Mrs.Vera Krstic, she expressed a special gratitude to the author of the installation Ivan Kucina, who’s “talent and skills gave a special shine to the exhibition”.

The General Manager of the National Museum informed the public about important news: that the museum reconstruction has finally been approved and the works based on the project of architect Milan Rakocevic will begin soon.

After the author Prof. Dr. Alexander Palavestra who addressed the public explaining “the millennium long biography of each piece of amber” and “research traveling” that had to be undertaken in order to have these “unusual stoned mastic” in front of us today, the exhibition was officially opened by academician Nikola Tasic. He made a special wish to the National Museum – that “this exhibition would be the last one in this building as it is”, and that the works on the reconstruction begin as soon as possible, so the Belgrade would soon have the National Museum that we would all be proud of.