Friday, 17 May 2013

DOHA: Museums should connect to people through education and innovation to achieve social change, said speakers at a public conference yesterday in observance of this year's International Museum Day (IMD) celebrations.

Speaking at yesterday's conference held at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium, the speakers proposed the inclusion of museums and antiquities in the basic education curriculum to ignite children's interest on museums.

Nasser Al Hammadi, Secretary of the National Museum of Qatar, rued the dearth of materials in the curriculum of Qatari schools that arouse children's curiosity on artifacts and encourage them to visit museums here.

"There are some relevant topics on museums in the curriculum but not that sufficient. We want it to be included in the basic education curriculum," he said during the question and answer session.

Dr Abdullah Al Sulaiti, Deputy Director for Research and Collections of the National Museum of Qatar was of the same view, urging the Supreme Education Council to focus on this issue. 

Dr Al Sulaiti underscored the significant role schools play in linking education with museums, thus inspiring passion for heritage and history among children.

"Before children visit the museum, they should have an idea of what they would see there. The more they are familiar with the items, the more they realize their value," he added.

On the theme of IMD this year: "Museums (memory + creativity) = social change", Al Hammadi said museums around the world which currently number 32,000 are revisiting their policies and programme to keep abreast with the needs of present civilization.

"Museums are dynamic institutions which should adapt to the changing times," he said. In particular, he highlighted creating effective audiovisual impact through new technology in the presentation of objects and information to better connect with museum visitors at various levels. 

He referred to the National Museum of Qatar as a good example of a museum which would employ state-of-the-art technology when it opens in 2015.

Another way to attract people to visit museums is organising activities such as concerts regularly held at the MIA, he added. "This year's theme for International Museum Day is social change and we believe that museums play a significant role in keeping alive past heritage and culture to enrich society and positively influence our lives. We believe that modernity and innovation work hand in hand with heritage and tradition," said Sheikh Jassim bin Faisal Al Thani of Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum.

To expand their reach, they had initiated traveling exhibitions to other countries, latest of which would be at the British Museum this year, said Sheikh Jassim. "This is the second Travelling Exhibition we have participated in as a Museum, the first being our Calligraphy exhibits to American University of Sharjah," he said, adding they also plan to launch a School Visit Programme as an outreach to schoolchildren "to visit our museums and learn about Qatari history and Islamic culture."

Abdulrahman Saud Musameh, Director of Museum at the Bahraini Ministry of Information stressed the family has a role to play in instilling heritage and appreciation of culture among the new generation.

© The Peninsula 2013