A seminar on "Preservation and Study of Cultural Heritage in the Context of Digitalization," dedicated to "May 18 – International Museum Day," was held on May 15, 2026, jointly organized by the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS and the National Museum of Azerbaijan History.

Assoc. Prof. Sevinc Nasirova, Scientific Secretary of the National Museum of Azerbaijan History, spoke on the significance of the digital transformation of museums and highlighted the opportunities created by modern technologies in the fields of exhibition and scientific research. Subsequently, Assoc. Prof. Shovgu Hasanov, Deputy Director for General Affairs at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (IAA), noted that the development of digital humanities plays a vital role in the preservation of cultural heritage.

During the academic session, Malakat Farajova, Senior Research Fellow at the IAA's Department of Scientific Exhibition Organization and Professor at the Department of History and Theory of Fine Arts at the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, addressed the application of digital technologies in open-air museums and contemporary exhibition methods. Assoc. Prof. Mikayil Mustafayev, Head of the IAA's Department of Registration and Passportization of Archaeological Sites, provided information on efforts undertaken in the area of digital registration of archaeological sites and the formation of electronic databases.

Dr. Aida Ismayilova, Senior Research Fellow at the National Museum of Azerbaijan History, and Dr. Lachin Mustafayev, lecturer at the Department of History and Archaeology at Khazar University and Research Fellow at the National Museum of Azerbaijan History, shared their views with participants on the digitalization of museum collections, innovative approaches to the study of cultural heritage, and the application of modern technologies.

At the end of the seminar, Orkhan Zamanov, Head of the IAA's Department of Scientific Exhibition Organization and lecturer at the Department of History and Archaeology at Khazar University, delivered a presentation on the subject. Dr. Yaqub Mammadov, Leading Research Fellow at the IAA and lecturer at the Department of History and Archaeology at Khazar, as well as second-year students of the History Teaching program, also participated in the event.

Additionally, an excursion to the Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev House-Museum was organized for the students. During the excursion, the guide provided information on the history of the museum, the life of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, and the exhibits preserved in the museum.

At the end of the excursion, an interactive quiz was held based on the information presented by the guide. The quiz was organized in group format around an interactive table, with students answering questions as a team to test their knowledge.