Osnovna delatnost Muzeja je da sistematski prikuplja, štiti, čuva, proučava, izlaže i publikuje predmete primenjene umetnosti. Pored dela nacionalne primenjene umetnosti, u Muzeju se prikuplja istorodni materijal iz drugih evropskih i vanevropskih zemalja, koji je preko kulturnih i privrednih veza dospeo u naše krajeve. Muzej primenjene umetnosti je već prve godine svoga postojanja otkupio izvanredno vrednu zbirku raznovrsnih umetnički obrađenih predmeta, koje je tokom trideset godina skupljao slikar i grafičar Ljuba Ivanović. Zbirka je sadržala više od 3000 predmeta, među kojima su se po svojoj istorijskoj i umetničkoj vrednosti isticali zlatarski proizvodi, stare rukopisne i štampane knjige, predmeti rezbareni u drvetu, rožini i sedefu, drvorezne i slikane ikone i drugo.Najstariji predmeti u vlasništvu Muzeja datiraju iz IV veka p.n.e. i pripadaju numizmatičkoj zbirci (novac Stare Grčke) u Odseku za metal i nakit, dok zbirke u Odseku za savremenu primenjenu umetnost sadrže i najsavremeniju umetničku produkciju. U celini, muzejske zbirke prate razvoj primenjene umetnosti u rasponu od 2400 godina. Muzej poseduje više od 32.000 predmeta primenjene umetnosti, među kojima se nalaze i dela izuzetnog umetničkog i kulturnog značaja. Muzej ima veoma živu izložbenu aktivnost, kao i sopstvenu izdavačku delatnost. Tradicionalne muzejske manifestacije su Salon arhitekture, Dečji salon primenjene umetnosti, Salon savremene primenjene umetnosti i Trijenale keramike. Svakog šestog novembra, na dan osnivanja Muzeja, priređuje se studijska izložba, koja prikazuje do tada neistraženo područje primenjene umetnosti kod Srba.
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The Museum of Applied Art was founded in 1950. It belongs to the category of specialized museums. The main activity of The Museum of Applied Art is systematic collecting, protecting, studying, exhibiting and publishing works of applied art. Apart from the works of art referring to applied arts of Serbian people, related material from other European countries and the world, which came to our country through cultural and economic relations, is also collected in the Museum. During the very first year of its existence, the Museum purchased an exceptionally valuable collection of various artistically treated objects, collected over thirty years by artist Ljuba Ivanovic. The collection comprises of more than 3,000 artifacts, among which jewellery, old manuscripts and printed books, objects carved in wood, horn and mother-of-pearl, woodcut and painted icons, etc., stand out for their historic and artistic value. The oldest artifacts in The Museum of Applied Art date from IV century BC, and belong to the coin collection (coins from ancient Greece) in the Metalwork Department, while the collections in the Department for contemporary applied arts contain objects of the most recent artistic production. Thus, the Museum's collections reflect the development of objects of applied art in a 2,400 years' span. Nowadays, the Museum disposes of more than 32,000 expertly treated objects of applied art, among them works of art of outstanding artistic and cultural value. The Museum is engaged in organizing exhibitions, as well as in publishing activities. The traditional cultural and artistic events of the Museum include Salon of Architecture, Children's Salon of Applied Art, Salon of Contemporary Applied Art, and Triennial of Ceramics. Comprehensive Study exhibition, presenting applied art in Serbia up to the moment, is opened on 6 November, the Museum's anniversary.
