Technology is just one of the many factors that go into enhancing a museum. What matters most is maintenance and documentation.
This is the general refrain of art collectors, historians and museum officials in Bengaluru who say that government museums need to be revamped in order to retain their relevance.
“Maintenance is done through tenders when officials observe that exhibits require a makeover or restoration,” said Dr. R. Gopal, Director, Archaeology and Museums, Venkatappa Art Gallery.
Documentation is more complex as it requires physical and historical information about a piece. “The documentation process has begun for the first time at 15 museums in Karnataka, starting with the Government Museum in Bengaluru,” Mr. Gopal added.
The Government Museum is one of the oldest in India. “After a year, we hope to have a comprehensive database. Around 6,000 artefacts from the Government Museum and another 1,200 art works from Venkatappa Art Gallery will be documented,” said Mr. Gopal.
Across Karnataka, the process will cover around 60,000 artefacts from various museums.
Curators hope that this process will help disseminate information to visitors, who will also be able to access the material online.
Apart from documentation, experts say that there is also an urgent need to have trained staff and dehumidifiers to protect the exhibits.
The NGMA in Bengaluru is among the few museums to have temperature-controlled exhibition spaces and storage rooms as well as dehumidifiers.
“Government museums should soon bring in curators who can not only map out art events, but also help maintain the museum,” says Ganesh Shivaswamy, art collector and member of Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation.
NGMA Bengaluru director Sathyabhama Badhreenath says, “We request officials to train people in understanding museum arts. Only then can we have an organic chain of maintenance and survival.”
