National Museum opens center for museum studies

Bangladesh National Museum has opened a permanent hub namely ‘Center for Art History and Museology’ in a bid to train museum professionals and students on museology.

National Museum Chairman Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique inaugurated the centre on Tuesday, the facility said in a statement.

‘Center for Art History and Museology’ will run regularly two 15-day certificate courses in a year at initial statge, it added.

Siddique, who is also the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) chairman and former Dhaka University vice chancellor said, “The center has emerged today as a pioneering institution in the field of art history and museolgy.”

He noted that currently no functional institution or programme was there in the country to run such study programme though the government or the private entities currently run over 400 museums, galleries and archives.

Siddique also opened the premier certificate course of the Centre to mark its inauguration.

National Museum’s director general Md Kamruzzaman chaired the function, addressed as well by its secretary Gazi Md Wali-ul-Haq.

The National Museum, according to the statement, has included the center into its organizational structure to develop qualified personnel and manpower for improved management of the property.

According to Kamruzzaman, who spoke at the event, the course would give students the chance to learn some fundamental concepts about museology as well as art history, including concepts of civilisation, the arts of various civilisations, the collection and management of artifacts, documentation, preservation, display, and museum management.

We intend to start advanced courses in museum studies through this facility, he stated.