Most locals don’t visit Sarawak Museum

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KUCHING: Most locals do not visit the Sarawak Museum although it is located right in the city centre.Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who mentioned this on Thursday, called on Sarawakians to visit the museum and play their part in publicising it.

“We Sarawakians must visit the museum first before we can share good things with others and spread the word around.

“Tour operators, in particular, should have been to the museum or there is no way for them to introduce with passion,” said Dr Chan, who is also Minister of Tourism and Heritage, during the Sarawak Museum Appreciation Night.

He said he was astonished to learn some city dwellers had never visited the museum, which actually helps promote the tourism industry as well as preserve the state’s unique heritage and culture.

“Human beings are strange sometimes. For instance, if you have a beach near your place, chances are, you will not go to the beach. Whereas, some people do not mind driving 100 miles to enjoy the beach.

“This is exactly the same situation with our museum. It is so near in town and I bet many people have not been there,” he said.

Dr Chan also called on honorary curators in the state to continue their important contributions not only in editorial assignment but also in other aspects.

He said this could be in the form of jointly putting up exhibitions or improving the existing ones, organising workshops and sitting in certain committees related to heritage and culture.

“Experience and wisdom of honorary curators, if unselfishly combined with the vigour and zeal of the comparatively younger curatorial staff, would result in tremendous development and improvement of the museum,” he said.

Such concerted efforts, he said, would augur well for the state and its efforts to boost tourism besides preserving heritage and culture for posterity.

Dr Chan also extended his appreciation to several government agencies and individuals, known as ‘Friends of Museum’, who had assisted the museum via technical and logistical support. The ‘Friends of Museum’ include the Public Works Department (JKR), Kuching City South Council (MBKS), Kuching City North Commission (DBKU), police, State Attorney General (SAG), Information Department, RTM, Kraftangan and the media.

Dr Chan said he hoped they would continue their support so that Sarawak Museum could maintain or improve its status as one of the best museums in the region, if not the world.

Earlier, State Museum Department director Ipoi Datan said Sarawak Museum has been in existence for nearly 120 years and had maintained its reputation as one of the best in the region.

“For the past three years, the total number of visitors to all the galleries of Sarawak Museum is around one million,” he said.

Ipoi also lauded the voluntary services by several honorary curators namely former director and honorary curator of ceramics Datuk Lucas Chin; former director and honorary curator of ethnology Dr Peter Mulok Kedit; former director and honorary curator of history Datu Sanib Said; honorary curator of botany Dr Paul Chai; honorary curator of beads Heidi Munan; honorary curator of archaeology Associate Prof Stephen Chia; honorary curator of art materials Sylvester Jussem; honorary curator of mammals Datuk Seri Earl of Cranbrook; honorary curator of birds Prof Slim Sreedharan; and honorary curator of reptiles and amphibians Prof Robert Inger.