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With the exhibition Under the spell of mount Ararat – Treasures from ancient Armenia, the Drents Museum in Assen has been nominated for the Museum Magazine Exhibition Prize 2022. The major international archaeology exhibition about Armenia is one of ten nominated exhibitions selected by a jury of experts. From today, 1 September to 14 September, the public can vote for the best exhibition of 2022 via www.tentoonstellingsprijs.nl 

Proud
Harry Tupan, general director of the Drents Museum: 'We are very happy and proud that we have been selected for the second time for the annual public election of best exhibition of the cultural year. In 2019 we won the prize with the exhibition Iran - Cradle of Civilization. Also this time, we are in a very special line-up. This appreciation strengthens our vision of wanting to tell the story of extraordinary international collections that have never been seen in the Netherlands before in a high-profile way.'

Public praise
The exhibition Under the spell of mount Ararat, which can be seen until 30 October, has so far attracted more than 50,000 visitors. The public rates the exhibition with an average score of 8.5. The reactions in the guestbook are unequivocally positive. A selection from this: 'You have outdone yourselves once again', 'Very surprising. What a culture!', 'Beautifully decorated exhibition with impressive objects', 'I have given myself a great gift by being here' and 'This visit feels like an enrichment.'

Under the spell of mount Ararat
Against the backdrop of the two-peaked mount Ararat, the exhibition takes the visitor on a journey through the impressive history and culture of Armenia. Perspekt Studios in Haarlem, previously responsible for the prize-winning design of the Iran exhibition, was again responsible for the exhibition design. With 160 precious objects from the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan - including gold and silver jewellery and cups, weapons and bronze statuettes - you will be immersed in the earliest history of Armenia. One of the masterpieces is a relic with a wooden fragment of Noah's Ark, which is said to have stranded on the Ararat mountain after the Flood. How great the significance of the holy mount Ararat still is for the Armenians today, is shown in the series of short films by Ararat experts and enthusiasts in the exhibition. 

Museum Magazine Exhibition Prize 2022
The Museum Magazine Exhibition Prize is a collaboration between the Museum Magazine, the Prince Bernhard Cultuurfonds, de Vrije Academie, SRC Reizen, the VriendenLoterij and Kunstmuseum Den Haag. In addition to Under the spell of mount Ararat there are nominations for: Kirchner en Nolde (Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam), Allart van Everdingen (Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar), Natasja Kensmil (Kunsthal KadE), Artemisia (Rijksmuseum Twenthe), Vergeet me niet (Rijksmuseum Amsterdam), Paula Rego (Art Museum The Hague), Rob Scholte (Museum de Fundatie), Russische avant-garde (Hermitage Amsterdam) and Here We Are! (Art Hall Rotterdam). The winning museum will receive a cash prize of €10,000. The voting public has a chance to win an art trip for 2 people and many other great prizes.

Press photo captions
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