Activity Report on Promoting the Role of Museums and Collections for Sustainable Development in Uganda

Abstract

Museums world over play a very important role not only for acquiring, conserving, research, communication and exhibition for purposes of study, education and enjoyment of heritage, but also have a primary purpose of safeguarding and preserving the heritage as a whole, presents the interaction between culture and nature and to work for the endogenous development of social communities whose testimonies it conserves while lending a voice to their cultural aspirations. The development of the museum sector in Uganda dates back to 1908 when the first museum was established in a small Greek Temple at captain Lugard's Fort on Old Kampala Hill. As the collections quickly grew, it was transferred to the then Makerere University College in 1941 and later in 1954. It was transferred to a new building which is the present Uganda National Museum. The National Museum houses more than a million objects of ethnographic, historical, archaeological, paleontological and zoological materials collected all over the country and displayed in the galleries while others are stored for research. From 1954, several initiatives have been put in place to strengthen the museum sector. These include legislation like the Historical Monuments Act of (1967) meant to regulate the sector; and establish regional museums in Kabale in the West, and in Soroti in the East part of the country. The most recent (2010) development in the sector is the establishment of Community Museums championed by individuals or civil society and associations interested in culture and heritage, the approval of the Museum Policy of 2015 and the study of the Museum sector that sought to establish the status. Generally, Museums in Africa have faced an enormous challenge in playing its cardinal role of safeguarding the heritage of humanity. The sector is grappling with lack of requisite funding for conservation and presentation of museum collections. As such very few activities take place within the premises and hence being seen as dead institutions. This is very true of Museums in Uganda where few visitors are attracted to these institutions, collections are in a dire state of conservation, inventories are not reviewed and updated; limited displays of collections are made and these last years before new displays are made, Museum's collection is not digitized and hence risk deterioration; and above all, the social and education roles are not being potentially explored. There has been limited investment in the sector, regional museums are not functional, and there is absence of guidelines on the establishment and management of museums. One shocking development was the plan by government to demolish the National Museum and replace it with a high-rise commercial building, which could offer better returns in terms of investment than the museum. As much as this was halted, it posed and still posses a real threat to the collection and the role of Museums for sustainable Development. Inspite of all this, Ugandans continue to cherish their heritage and are prepared to protect, preserve and safeguard it. Uganda ratified three UNESCO conventions on tangible, intangible and cultural diversity. Uganda also participated in the UNESCO experts meeting that prepared recommendation on museums and collections, their diversity and their role in society that was adopted by the general conference at its 38th session Paris, 17 November 2015. It recommended among others for Museums to open to all its collections and committed to physical and cultural access to all, including disadvantaged groups. Ensure policies are in place to guide and strengthen Museum capacities for protection of the Museum collections; promoting both tangible and intangible heritage amongst the communities; and inventorying of the museum's collection. Following this recommendation, Uganda carried out a study on the museum sector and prepared a status report on Museums and Monuments Development in Uganda. This report has identified gaps in the sector that this project wishes to address such as lack of guidelines on establishment of community museums and also engagement of Public Private Partnerships on sites. Community museums around the country do not have specific standards followed, no qualified personnel and therefore the nature of these museums or the way artefacts are displayed is inadequate. The National Museum has an education section that is responsible for disseminating our culture through different educational programs but since the 1970s there has never been any activity done in this regard. The 2015 UNESCO recommendations on protection and promotion of museums and collections, their diversity and their role in society proposes clear interventions in the museums development and this project will focus on the implementation of these recommendations through awareness creation; capacity building; organising selected events that will transform museums as a platform for dialogue, learning and social cohesion; formulate guidelines to be followed by all engaged in the establishment and management of museums with an intention of promoting the roles museums have to play in society.