Mission
The mission of the foundation is to preserve and expand the distinguished collection of historical meteorological instruments assembled with dedication and expertise by its founder, Leo Shirokov, in doing so fostering, promoting, and safeguarding the traditions of decorative, applied, and artisanal arts, with a particular emphasis on Europe's cultural and scientific heritage, and encouraging international collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.
The foundation seeks to achieve its objectives through:
- conducting research, attribution, and provenance documentation for each item in the collection, and presenting it on a publicly accessible platform showcasing the foundation's collection at barometers.info
- organizing exhibitions, lectures, and presentations
- collaborating with museums, collectors, researchers, and cultural institutions
- restoring and conserving artifacts
- publishing and disseminating printed and digital materials, including the founder's authored works on the history of barometers and subsequent publications of the foundation
Particular attention is given to the scholarly quality, public accessibility, and cultural relevance of the foundation's activities.
Message from the Founder
'My journey into the world of antique barometers and other meteorological artifacts began as a deeply personal quest — a way to connect with the beauty, ingenuity, and spirit of past centuries. What started as a personal passion has grown into a cultural mission. I founded The Art of Weather Instruments Foundation and developed it into a cultural project dedicated to preserving and expanding this unique heritage, making it accessible to collectors, researchers, designers, students, and the wider public.'
'This is not merely a private collection, but a living encyclopedia of the history of science and aesthetics. These instruments are more than scientific tools — they are tangible connections to the ingenuity, craftsmanship, and artistry of past centuries. By investing your attention, time, or resources, you help ensure that this legacy is documented, accessible, and alive, continuing to inspire future generations around the world.'
'It is not simply a “display” — it is a comprehensive platform that connects people with history through real, physical objects. In a world where the digital often displaces the tangible, my project offers access to things that can be seen, understood, and experienced as part of our material culture. It preserves the traditions of craftsmanship and design, and in doing so, works not only to safeguard the past but also to inspire the future — for artisans, artists, engineers, historians, and all who value the meeting of science and beauty.'
L. Shirokov
Founding Board
Leonid Shirokov — Chair & Co-Founder
Aleksandr Shenshin — Treasurer/Secretary & Co-Founder
Policy Plan
The Art of Weather Instruments Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, study, and promotion of historical meteorological instruments as part of Europe's cultural and scientific heritage.
The Foundation's mission is to provide access to a collection of exceptional artistic and historical value, comprising meteorological measuring instruments from various periods, along with associated documents, contextual data, and accumulated expertise. This access is intended for the general public, researchers, collectors, and museum institutions — both in physical and digital form.
Strategy
The Foundation aims to:
- Ensure the safeguarding and long-term conservation of meteorological instruments and related documents as carriers of scientific, artisanal, and cultural history
- Research the provenance, dating, stylistic, and technical characteristics of the collection's objects, including attribution and provenance documentation
- Carry out professional cataloguing and systematic classification of the collection according to museum standards
- Provide digital access to the collection via the website www.barometers.info, including imagery and descriptions
- Collaborate with museums, archives, private collectors, scientific institutions, restorers, and cultural heritage funds
- Foster public interest in meteorology as a visual, historical, and educational phenomenon
- Develop publications — catalogues, scholarly and popular science articles, books, and studies on the collection and its broader context
- Explore the possibility of establishing, in the future, an independent museum or permanent exhibition space dedicated to meteorological instruments, with the aim of engaging the public with the history of science, technology, and aesthetics in an accessible and inspiring manner
Activity plan
Over the next three years, the Foundation intends to:
- Further expand the collection with objects of high historical value, rarity, or uniqueness — including prototypes, signature works by renowned makers, and under-documented types of instruments
- Undertake restoration of instruments when necessary, in cooperation with qualified professionals and in accordance with ethical heritage preservation guidelines
- Develop and integrate a digital collection management database into the public website
- Compile provenance dossiers and connect objects with their makers, owners, and historical contexts
- Organize temporary and online exhibitions in cooperation with other institutions
- Prepare, edit, and publish knowledge-based materials on the collection
- Inventory historical literature and archives, embedding them into the broader knowledge framework of instrument production and distribution
- Invite external experts and authors to contribute to research and public engagement
- Participate in grant programs, strengthen international networks, and represent the Foundation at relevant scientific and cultural forums
Funding
The foundation is supported through donations and sponsorships, public and private grants, as well as other sources. All funds are used solely to advance the foundation's mission. The foundation is a non-profit organization and does not pursue profit as its objective. Our work is carried out with the help of dedicated volunteers and, when needed, external experts engaged on a project basis. Members of the board serve on an unpaid basis. They are, however, entitled to reimbursement for expenses actually incurred.
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Reg. name
Stichting Art of Weather Instruments
Trade name
The Art of Weather Instruments Foundation
KVK
98055216
RSIN
868340911
Reg. address
Jonker Florislaan 64 Nuenen 5673ML Netherlands