Museums For Knowledge And Economic Development

The Ashmolean Museum, located at the University of Oxford in England, is considered the first modern museum in the world. The famous museum was established in 1682 AD to document and display collected objects. According to UNESCO's 2020 report, there are over 104,000 museums worldwide. This data indicates that, on average, 30,000 museums have been established every century since the inception of the modern museum, the Ashmolean Museum. With the increasing number of museums in recent times, the world has witnessed a significant evolution of laws regulating them and drastic changes in their organisational structure.

In Nepal, the Silkhana in Chhauni, originally a house built as an arsenal in 1881 BS by the then Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa, was later converted into a museum, which now serves as the National Museum. In 1983 BS, Chandra Shumsher Rana turned it into an arsenal museum, and in 1995 BS, Juddha Shumsher opened it to the public as the Nepal Museum. While the year 1881 BS marked the establishment of the museum building, the year 1995 BS can be considered the year it truly became a museum. Therefore, the historical foundation of museums in Nepal spans almost two centuries. However, the official record of the museum is eight decades old. 

During this long journey, Nepal has not witnessed the desired pace of museum development. Recently, the nation has connected with the global museum community in various ways, particularly through the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Nepal Chapter, which allows the country to make its presence in the international community. 

International Museum Day (IMD), celebrated annually, was observed on the 18th of May this year with the slogan ‘Museum for Research and Education’. This day serves as a global platform for millions of professionals working with over 100,000 museums worldwide. The decision to mark IMD was taken in Moscow in 1977 AD. During that year's ICOM General Assembly, a resolution was passed advocating for the establishment of an annual event to highlight the invaluable contributions of museums to humanity and to further integrate their creative objectives and efforts. 

Importance

Culture-based sectors, such as museums, are now recognised as integral components of the creative industry. Although the term "creative and cultural industries" was coined by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer around 1944 AD, the concept of the "creative economy" expanded in the 1990s in the UK and Australia. Creative and cultural industries extensively harness human creativity, skills, and talent, can be established as intellectual property, and contribute to economic development by generating employment opportunities.

Tourism stands out as one of the leading economic sectors with high growth rates, and studies indicate that tangible and intangible cultural aspects contribute to approximately 40 per cent of the tourism industry. In Nepal, the heritage sector has significantly contributed to the economy. However, due to insufficient research and documentation, it is challenging to provide an official estimate of its contribution.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNTAD) identified the creative industry in 2008 and divided it into four areas: culture, including traditional cultural expressions and cultural areas; visual arts and performing arts; print and audiovisual media, and functional creations. As museums preserve and promote all of these, they fall under the category of custodian bodies for all these areas. Nepal is rich in areas that fall under all four types of creative industries. However, no extensive effort has so far been made as to how to sell this wealth in the global and Nepali markets. The museum sector can play a leading role in filling this gap. 

Museums serve as guardians of our cultural heritage, history, and knowledge, defining our identity in the world. They are instrumental in preserving our culture and acting as conduits between the past, present, and future. Recognised by UNESCO as not only repositories of heritage but also vital educational and inspirational spaces, museums foster social cohesion and dialogue. Additionally, they serve as economic hubs, supporting industries related to art, architecture, urban planning, cultural studies, and tourism while embodying the nexus between culture and sustainable development. Given their significance, museums are often targeted by adversaries of human rights and cultural diversity.

Nepal's rich diversity encompasses multiple languages, cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Its varied geography, climate, and natural landscapes equally captivate visitors. These are the immense foundations for promoting the creative economy. Unfortunately, we have failed to make every effort possible to explore these opportunities. 

To harness this immense potential, there's a critical need to enhance public understanding of and awareness of museums. Stakeholders and the public must engage in dialogues, discussions, and debates. Comprehensive research on tangible and intangible heritages in Nepal is imperative. Additionally, the establishment of museums dedicated to intangible heritage, coupled with research and development, can elevate them into centres of knowledge and learning. In this regard, this year's World Museum Day’s slogan remains pertinent.

Relevance 

Museums are regarded as vital spaces for cultural exchange and enrichment, fostering peaceful coexistence and cooperation among communities. While various definitions of museums exist, the one provided by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) is widely accepted as the global standard. The latest definition, adopted by ICOM in 2022 AD, mentions: “A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets, and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible, and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally, and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection, and knowledge-sharing.”

The definition encompasses research as one of the key functions of a museum by exposing it as a place where artefacts, artworks, cultures, traditions, lifestyles, history, and the natural world can be directly observed to acquire knowledge and entertainment. Embracing this broad scope of museums, ICOM celebrates International Museum Day every year, aiming to raise awareness through various slogans.

This year’s slogan for IMD, "Museums for Education and Research," clearly illustrates museums as essential entities for education and research. Many countries around the world have prioritised museums and reaped significant benefits from them.

While the world has witnessed significant growth in the number of museums, leading to advancements in education, tourism, economy, society, and culture, Nepal, despite having the potential to gain immensely, hasn't progressed much in this area. However, the nation is a treasure trove of tangible and intangible heritage and culture.

Although clear policies, regulations, laws, and standards related to museums are crucial for their proper management, the absence of clear and effective policies hinders their progress. In reality, museums are knowledge hubs that collect and preserve historical, significant, and educational materials of public interest. To broaden this understanding, it is essential to extensively and intensively promote museum-related discussions, awareness campaigns, and advocacy programmes across all local levels.

Established in 1946 AD, the ICOM has been rigorously working on defining and developing museums in association with UNESCO. It engages in various activities related to museum development, including discussions, advocacy, defining museums, and revising definitions as needed. The national chapters of ICOM in various countries are also contributing to the development and promotion of museums. ICOM Nepal, as a national chapter, has also been actively involved in the development of museums in the country. However, much still remains to be done. Nepal needs to make more efforts and investments in research and development of the museum sector to unlock its vibrant potential in the future. 

(The writer is a journalist and social science researcher.)