Specific Laws Needed To Regulate Museums

Museums house a variety of items having artistic, cultural, historical and scientific importance. As these unique things are kept for the public, museums are undoubtedly an important source of knowledge. Museums make people familiar with their country’s numerous aspects ranging from history, culture, civilization and religion to art and architecture. Because museums collect and preserve objects and materials of religious, cultural and historical value, they are a storehouse of ancient artefacts, sculptures, objects and history. According to Britannica, a museum is an institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the primary tangible evidence of humankind and the environment. The items housed in a museum are exclusive. They constitute the raw material of study and research. 

According to International Council of Museum, 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. This is a universally accepted definition. Museums also help give a boost to the tourism industry of the areas where they are located. Museums stimulate people to think in novel ways. The items on display can be catalysts for creativity and discovery.

Types

Museums are of different types. Fine arts museums contain all kinds of paintings, drawings, architectures and sculptures while historical museums showcase historical events and house weapons, statues and other materials. Likewise, museums related to science and technology exhibit the things highlighting the evolution of history, science and technology.  A museum-house is located in the birthplace of an eminent personality and an archaeological museum contains objects related to history. As general museums encompass more than one subject, they are known as cross-disciplinary museums. With the advancement of the information and communication technology (ITC), virtual museums are now available. 

The world’s history of development of museums is very long. Modern public museums are believed to have started coming into existence since the early 1680s.  Having opened to general public in 1682, the Ashmolean Museum in Britain is considered as the world’s first public museum. According to a UNESCO report of 2021, at present, more than 104,000 museums are reported to have been in operation globally. In Nepal, the history of museums dates back to the late 1930s. Initially, some museums were set up to collect and store weapons. In 1939, the Rana rulers developed Bhimsen Thapa’s residence as a museum-house. Thus, the history of museums in the country has crossed eight plus decades. With the passage of time, a lot of museums have opened across the country under different scattered rules. An estimated 1,000 museums are running nationwide. Some museums being run under the federal government have been established as per the government’s decrees. Bhaktapur-based National Arts Museum, the National Museum located at Chhauni of Kathmandu, National Currency Museum and Gorkha Durbar Museum fall in this category. There is no specific law to manage these museums.  

It needs no mention that various government bodies have also set up their own museums. The Nepal Police Museum, Nepali Army Museum and Tribhuvan University-run Natural History Museum are some examples. Other government agencies have also run small galleries. They have collected antiques and exhibited such objects in those galleries. Those agencies have named the galleries as museums. The Supreme Court’s museum, Rastriya Samachar Samiti’s museum, Press Council Nepal’s museum and the museum run by Radio Nepal in Biratnagar are galleries. 

Even some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been running museums. The International Mountain Museum (IMM) based in Pokhara and Jyapu Museum located in Lalitpur can be taken as examples. There is also a growing trend among communities, and local and provincial governments to establish and run museums. Of late, many local governments have been found allocating budget for setting up and managing museums. This is a good initiative. But this may give rise to unnecessary duplication. Museums are being run even by the private sector. The Aviation Museum at Sinamanagal of Kathmandu is one of its examples. 

No matter who owns and runs museums. Ultimately, all museums are public institutions. It is also a susceptible task to collect and document objects meant for display at museums. But museums are still being registered like any other ordinary institutions. This does not comply with the museums’ international norms and standards. There is no doubt that opening a museum is a welcome step. But, it is essential for the nation to have a comprehensive law to regulate and facilitate museums. Looking at the registration and establishment of museums from legal point of view, nearly one dozen laws appear to have been applicable. This has created confusion in monitoring museums and maintaining their standard. So, stakeholders have called for formulating a specific law. 

Separate body

Establishing a separate body fixed by the law is necessary for monitoring and regulating the basics of operation and management of museums. Some definite parameters are also required to be developed for ensuring capacity development of museum operators and making service and utility effective. Museums should also be classified as per their nature, capacity and objective and mission for which the law should explicitly ensure the provision abiding by the local need and international commitment related to heritage, culture and museum as well. The concerned agencies like ICOM Nepal should make play proactive efforts in this connection.  

The practice of allowing agencies to open and run museums in a haphazard manner must end. The responsible authorities must assess the physical infrastructure, human resources management, the objects collected and possible financial sustainability of the museums to be established before issuing permission. As there are other biological things linked to the museums’ heritages, there should be a special provision in laws to address concerns related to them. 

(The author is a former deputy executive editor of this daily.)