First-year students in the "Archaeology and Ethnography" bachelor's program and second-year students in the "Archaeology and Ethnology" master's program at the YSU Faculty of History visited the Armenian Wine History Museum as part of their respective courses, "Introduction to Ethnology (Cultural/Social Anthropology)" and "Anthropology of Food." The study visit was led by Ruzanna Tsaturyan, a lecturer at the Chair of Archaeology and Ethnography.
The extracurricular class aimed to complement the academic curriculum with an educational and research experience outside the classroom, allowing students to observe and study winemaking in a museum setting as an important component of intangible cultural heritage. Wine and winemaking are not merely forms of production; they are also connected to a society's historical memory, social relations, everyday life, traditions, and various expressions of identity. Therefore, the study is important also from an anthropological perspective.
The visit also allowed students to complete academic and research assignments required by the two courses. As part of the "Anthropology of Food" course, students were assigned to observe the museum exhibits and write a paper about the museum, its history, and the story behind one exhibit of their choice. For the "Introduction to Ethnology (Cultural/Social Anthropology)" course, students were assigned to use the field data collected during the visit to explore the research question: What narrative does the museum construct about Armenian wine?
Thus, the museum visit was not only an educational experience but also an opportunity for students to apply their skills in observation, field data collection, and the anthropological analysis of cultural phenomena.
Such educational visits help students apply theoretical knowledge in practice, develop research skills, and explore cultural heritage from multiple perspectives.
