The Museum as Heritage: Why Museums?

Museums are institutions set up to conserve the heritage of a country, community or even individuals through care, study and exhibition of objects as well as values to the public domain. Thus a museum is not only entrusted in displays and exhibition but also acquires material objects as well as indigenous knowledge for the purpose of study or research. According to the South African Museum Associations (SAMA) constitution, “Museums are dynamic and accountable public institutions which both shape and manifest the consciousness, identities and understanding of communities and individuals in relation to their natural, historical and cultural environments, through collection, documentation, conservation, research and education programmes that are responsive to the needs of society” . Therefore, museums serves as a mirror and basis for empowering communities by recognizing the in advent role of societies and their values.

Moreover, according to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) statutes, “A museum is a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment” . It is also imperative to note that museums transcend objects and artefacts display. A museum does not deal solely with objects but, more importantly, with what we would call, for the moment, ideas-notions of what the world is, or should be . Thus in conceptualizing museums, displays and strategies for representation are key elements in creating exhibitions that exploits as well as defines the functions of museum.

One of the functions of a museum is to promote understanding of the history of human culture through exhibitions, displays and even lectures. The creation of a museum is simply one means resorted out of a determination to preserve our culture in the face of the onslaughts of a changing world, over which we have no control, in the face of state, economic and other power.

The Lagoon people of Nigeria have a history that they need to present and eventually display in a museum, which embodies the aspect of being a motivated representation of the lagoon people and their culture to the world. Therefore, a museum is a historically constituted space. In relation to the purposes of the museum, the Lagoon people of Etoile museum will acquire the community’s ethnographic objects, safeguard its artefacts, research especially through archaeology about the community’s past, educate the young and future generation about the community as well as entertain the public through performance arts. In addition, the museum will be set towards promoting the lagoon peoples culture, which in the long run will contribute to the country’s economic growth through tourism thus empowering the Lagoon community in national development. Moreover, the understanding of the lagoon peoples culture and values exhibited at the museum will help in building consensus and reconciliation in terms of land ownership by opening up debates on the Lagoon people. Developing a museum for the lagoon people will serve as a platform for saving their language, exposing the rights of the community to the world thus protecting it from further intrusion as well as resolve questions regarding the community.

The village Museum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has been organizing ethnic days in order to promote understanding of the different customs of ethnic groups in Tanzania which has been beneficial. Cultural presentations and shows based on ethnic cultures has the potential of developing a certain level of sustainability of these positive elements in the development of a Tanzanian society. Museums purposes involves conservation and by holding Ethnic days the Village museum will be engaging the community in conservation and preservation.

In conclusion, museums as institutions have a purpose as public institutions to safeguard and interpret national heritage through representations of the past and present. Museums do not simply issue objective descriptions or form logical assemblages; they generate representations and attribute value and meaning in line with certain perspectives or classificatory schemas which are historically specific. Museums as public institutions are said to be dynamic since they are a representative of the changes in societal norm and their functions and purposes are influenced by the societal needs.