Literature in the system of cultural texts: specificity of semiotic approach to the study of literary museum discourse

Employing a semiotic approach, this paper argues for the examination of cultural texts exhibited within literary museums, alongside an investigation into the museum’s own discursive space as a holistic semantic entity. These museums, conceived as socio-cultural phenomena of modern society, offer a rich field for semiotic analysis. Human culture-building activities inherently involve the construction of worldviews through the deployment of established and readily recognizable images. Within this framework, the concepts of the sign and the symbol form an integral component of the conceptual apparatus used to describe diverse forms of human action, as well as social processes intrinsic to the functioning of art, in particular, fiction. Given the inherent semiotic nature of all facets of human endeavor, the generation of symbols represents a continuous and ongoing process. The sign, therefore, occupies a crucial position in the complex paradigm of the literary museum, whose fundamental functions encompass the preservation, reproduction, and transmission of cultural values and meanings. In essence, the literary museum can be conceived as a multifaceted signifier, actively shaping and reinforcing cultural narratives through its curated exhibits and spatial arrangements. Its analysis through a semiotic lens offers valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between text, context, and interpretation in the realm of cultural heritage.