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The Matenadaran-Gandzasar Scientific and Cultural Center in Artsakh is open to visitors and operates as normal, Matenadaran-Gandzasar Director Aram Torosyan told Panorama.am on Tuesday. 

The center suspended its activity after the 44-day Artsakh war. After the Azerbaijani shelling of the Ghazanchetsots (Holy Savior) Cathedral in Shushi, all its exhibits were evacuated to Yerevan.

"Over the past few days, the Matenadaran Museum Complex was closed due to gas supply problems, but, in general, its activities continue, we have visitors. Of course, the number of visitors has sharply decreased given that there are no tourist flows. Fewer people have started visiting Artsakh from Armenia as well. I urge people to come to Artsakh more often, of course we understand that there is a need for certain security guarantees. The current guarantees seem to be insufficient," Torosyan said.

The director of the scientific and cultural center says that they plan to host book presentations and temporary exhibitions.

"About 30% of our exhibits transferred earlier to the Matenadaran in Yerevan have been returned. This is the management's decision to return them in parts, taking into account some security concerns. We plan to get the rest back in the near future. There's another reason why we're not moving them back: the Matenadaran – the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan – is hosting a temporary exhibition called "Artsakh Manuscripts Art" which displays manuscripts that were brought to Armenia from the Matenadaran-Gandzasar Scientific and Cultural Center during the 44-day war. That is, the Artsakh exhibition is temporarily hosted by Yerevan's Matenadaran," said Torosyan.

He noted that the village of Vank in the Martakert region, near which the Gandzasar Monastery Complex is located, as well as the Matenadaran are not very close to the border with Azerbaijan, thus people are free to visit the Matenadaran whenever they wish.

"Currently, our main visitors are local residents, Russian peacekeepers, and, from time to time, delegations from Armenia and Russia," he said.

The Gandzasar Monastery Complex is situated close to the village of Vank in the Martakert region. Artsakh’s Matenadaran branch is located in the area adjacent to Gandzasar.

The Matenadaran-Gandzasar Scientific and Cultural Center was founded in 2015. Over the years, the number of visitors to the center reached 70,000-80,000. In 2019 alone, about 19,000 people visited the center.

It stored more than 100 manuscripts, including original ones, 3 dozens of old printed books, around 3 dozens of valuable archive documents, and 700 units of Armenian studies literature.