Museums are not just about storing historical objects

Name: Museums are not just about storing historical objects
Uploaded: 2024-04-19T01:15:24Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: Relevance is key in managing museums and cultural heritage. Museums are not limited to storing ancient objects.

Relevance is key in managing museums and cultural heritage. Museums are not limited to storing ancient objects.

This article has been translated using AI. See Original .

TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

· 5 minutes read

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Museums are not just places to store historical objects. Before becoming museum collections, these objects were part of people's lives in various aspects, such as spiritual, social and cultural. This narrative needs to continue to be strengthened so that the existence of the museum remains relevant to current developments.

Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Hilmar Farid said that relevance is the key in managing museums and cultural heritage. The management transformation is trying to be realized by forming the Public Service Agency for Museums and Cultural Heritage or the Indonesian Heritage Agency (BLU MCB/IHA).

"In the past, people saw the role of museums as keeping collections well maintained and so on. That's definitely something we have to work on. "However, the mission now is to bring the collection closer to the community," he said in a focus group discussion (FGD) with the theme "Preserving Cultural Heritage and Reimagining Museums and Cultural Heritage in Indonesia", at the Kompas Tower, Jakarta, Thursday ( 4/18/2024).

This discussion produced various inputs for the development of museums and cultural heritage. The event was attended by several parties from diverse backgrounds, including the Director of Bakti Budaya Program of Djarum Foundation, Renitasari, Founder of Warna Warni Indonesia Foundation, Nina Akbar Tandjung, fashion designer Edward Hutabarat, as well as museum curators, archaeologists, and community representatives.

Hilmar stated that the definition of museums in Indonesia differs from that of European and American countries. In those countries, museum collections are generally exhibited only as a part of the past. Some of their collections even come from other countries.

Meanwhile, museum collections in the homeland still hold symbolic and cultural meanings to this day. The community's interaction with museum collections varies greatly, depending on the values contained within the objects.

"It is possible for the community to get closer to museum collections in various ways. Whether they want to respond with dance and other activities, it is certainly important to maintain the safety and integrity of the collections," he said.

Meanwhile, BLU MCB manages 18 museums and 34 national heritage sites, including the National Museum, Indonesia National Gallery, Museum of Youth Pledge, Museum of Indonesian Batik, Semedo Tegal Prehistoric Museum, and Sangiran Prehistoric Museum.

In addition, BLU MCB manages several National Cultural Heritage Sites (KCBN) including Muarajambi, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, Gunung Padang Site, Leang Timpuseng Site, and Duurstede Fort. These locations are scattered across several regions, such as Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Maluku.

According to Hilmar, managing museums and cultural heritage sites that are spread across various regions is not an easy challenge. Moreover, some cultural heritage sites have very large areas, one of which is the Muarajambi National Cultural Heritage Site with an area of 3,981 hectares.

"We need to work on various fronts. Of course, community involvement is crucial because they have a better understanding of the character. We see MCB as a collaboration platform to carry out our mission, to bring museum collections closer to the community," he said.

Acting Head of MCB, Ahmad Mahendra, explains that BLU MCB is a technical implementing unit formed to provide services to the public in the field of museum and cultural heritage management without prioritizing profit seeking. The implementation of its activities is based on principles of efficiency, productivity, as well as service and education improvement.

"The financial management pattern of BLU MCB is a financial management pattern that provides flexibility in the form of the freedom to apply healthy business practices to improve services to the community in order to advance public welfare and enlighten the nation's life," he said.

Museums are not just places to visit and gain knowledge. However, it is also a place for people to rediscover their identity.

The narrative of reimagination of museum and cultural heritage management includes aspects of reprogramming or reprogramming with a focus on curatorial and collection updates, redesigning or redesigning which aims to renovate buildings and spaces to make them safe and comfortable.

The third aspect is reinvigorating or focusing on strengthening institutional professionalism and increasing competence. These three things have their own strategic programs.

Deputy Chief Editor of the Daily Kompas Haryo Damardono said that the government could involve many parties in managing museums and cultural heritage. "We hope that this meeting will bring something positive, can be implemented and will continue. "Museums can be a place for us to carry out activities as creative city citizens," he said.

Provide context

Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Bondan Kanumoyoso, explained that museum collections in Indonesia are often displayed without context. Therefore, a narrative attached to each collection of historical objects in museums is needed.

"Rituals related to museum collections and cultural heritage should not be restricted, but facilitated. This is what will make our museum come alive. Indonesia's museums have many collections that are located in cultural heritage sites or historical places. If these collections are revived, it will be an extraordinary added value," he said.

According to Bondan, the sense of community ownership towards museum collections should be cultivated. This will provide a cultural experience for visitors as the historical objects stored in the museum are part of the ancestors' lives and still hold significance for the current generation.

“Museums are not just places to visit and gain knowledge. "However, it is also a place for people to rediscover their identity," he said.

According to the General Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Archaeologists, Marsis Sutopo, the development of museums and cultural sites also needs to be accompanied by clear regulations. This is one way to educate the public about what is allowed and not allowed in those areas.

"This is because the public is the one utilizing it. Sometimes, the public cannot obtain clear information on the regulations in museum and cultural heritage areas," he said.

Also read: Three Museums Become Pilot Models for Public Service Agencies

The Head of the Archeometry Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Sofwan Noerwidi, emphasizes that without accompanying narratives, information obtained from museum collections becomes less optimized. Researchers can conduct research, such as archeology and history, to strengthen such narratives.

"We imagine that in the future, there will be a narrative that can embrace all groups. For example, how visitors with disabilities who cannot see, but have the opportunity to touch museum collections. Museums must be inclusive for all citizens," he said.

Dian Ina, the exhibition team from Museum Macan in Jakarta, said that they learned how to manage the museum from several parties. They studied management standards from several museums, including the Zoological Museum and National Gallery. "We learned a lot here. Not everything needs to be learned overseas," she said.

Editor:

EVY RACHMAWATI

Museums are not just about storing historical objects

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