When one thinks of museums and galleries, the first thoughts that come to mind are history, art, and culture, not cold, hard cash. But Zaruhi Barseghyan, Head of the Visitor Center of the Central Bank of Armenia, suggests that there is just as much to learn about the history of money and the Armenian Dram.
Text Photo : Visitor Center of CBA
We often exchange cash on a daily basis without an afterthought—buying something, getting change in return, chipping in when we go out with friends, giving pocket money to a child… Cashless options are becoming more popular, making the exchange of money even quicker and easier to take for granted. But there is a story behind those bills and coins, a history that deserves to be shared, remembered, and cherished. This is why the Visitor Center of the Central Bank of Armenia was created. “Building the future is a combination of preserving the past and communicating what we have at present,” says Zaruhi Barseghyan, Head of the Visitor Center.
The decision to establish this institution was taken in 2007 and, after four years of construction, the Visitor Center opened its doors in the historic building of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia on September 20, 2011. Its exhibition space covers two floors with a total area of 500 square meters. It operates as a museum and educational institution that aims to raise awareness among schoolchildren, students, teachers, professors, and citizens in general about the history of Armenia’s currency as well as the functions and activities of the Central Bank. The Center consists of around 1000 numismatic items. Its educational content is delivered through stationary, thematic, and interactive expositions that include a laboratory for checking the authenticity of banknotes and one ATM, two multimedia games, thematic videos about the history of the national currency and activities of the Central Bank, animated films about price stability and the activities of the financial system.
Visitors to the Center learn about the history of how money has been used in Armenia, the national currency of the country, the story of how banknotes were created, the security features of the Armenian Dram as well as other important topics like counterfeiting, settlement systems, payment cards, and monetary policy. There is important information on the other structures that interact with the system in Armenia such as the Financial Mediator, ACRA Credit Bureau, Financial Monitoring Center, and Deposit Guarantee Fund.
Visitors can also learn through the library, video game zone, and cinema of the Center. “Our main target group consists of schoolchildren. The Center hosts 2-3 group tours a day, each consisting of up to 35 people,” says Zaruhi. There are approximately 15,000 visitors a year, with tours conducted in Armenian, English, and Russian. The Center also conducts training courses for teachers of secondary schools, organizes thematic lectures and tours for special groups. The physical infrastructure of the space is adapted for visitors with mobility issues. The Center operates every weekday from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. The Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia also hosts a large numismatic collection, with more than 2200 items, on the first floor of its Training and Research Center in Dilijan.
“Money is a part of our everyday life and the Visitor Center is a great way to learn more about how we got to where we are today in terms of our currency and all the work that the Central Bank and other stakeholders do to keep the financial system running smoothly in our country,” concludes Zaruhi, “There is so much happening beneath the surface—for such a mundane feature of our daily lives, money really has a fascinating story to tell!”
