How Bhutan preserves and presents its cultural heritage is becoming an important part of strengthening the country’s museums. 25 museum and cultural heritage professionals from Bhutan and the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in New York came together in Bumthang to exchange practical knowledge and strengthen museum practices.
Preserving cultural heritage goes beyond protecting old artefacts. Museums also need the skills to manage collections and present them meaningfully to visitors and future generations.
To strengthen these skills, Bhutanese museum professionals joined experts from the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art for a three-day programme at the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre in Bumthang.
The participants discussed challenges faced by museums in Bhutan and shared experiences on managing, preserving, and presenting cultural collections.
“Through this workshop, we learned how museums in other countries exhibit and present their collections,” said Gembo Wangdi, Curator, Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre.
“We mainly focused on curatorial stewardship. The roundtable discussion and the three-day workshop gave us a good opportunity to exchange ideas, share our museum practices and also explore opportunities for future collaboration,” said Lhatso, Sr. Curator, Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre.
The Museum Division under the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development organised the programme. The exchange is expected to strengthen professional capacity and improve the preservation and management of Bhutan’s cultural collections.
Thinley Dorji, Bumthang
Edited by Passang
