When was the last time you visited the museum? For most of us, museum is nothing more than a place that displays historical and cultural exhibits and artifacts. Therefore, museum is normally the last in our list of a place that we have to visit.
Whenever l visited other countries, one of the places that l give top priority to visit is the museum, apart from bookshops. Just like a cultural village, the main museum in the capital city of a country will give me a shortcut of history lesson as it is a microcosmic of a city, town or country that l visit.
Why do we have to visit a museum? Is it merely just to pass time or to understand the country’s history, culture and demography?
A museum is defined as “a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.”
Museums are a storehouse of old artefacts, sculptures, art, objects, history etc. There are various types of museums, including art museums, encyclopedic, historic house, history, living history, natural history, maritime, military and war museums, and science museums.
Amongst the top 10 best museums in the world are Leouvre, Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The British Museum, London, The Uffizi Galleries, Florence, The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, The Vatican Museums, Vatican City, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Prado, Madrid and The Rijkmuseum, Amsterdam.
These museums and galleries provide visitors an awesome and unforgettable experience. The museums give us the opportunity to appreciate great works of art close up and the rich repositories of history and culture of a nation.
As someone who loves history and culture, l always stop at a museum while travelling overseas. It is a great place to recharge, stimulate new ideas and understand a nation’s past. Museums and galleries provide a meaningful insight into the history of mankind.
I have visited some of the world’s most prestigious museums over the last 30 years, including in London, Paris, Istanbul, Tbilisi, Cairo, Hong Kong and Seoul.
I have the opportunity to visit various types of museums including The Louvre, Paris in 2010.
There is always a long line but it’s worth it because here you have the opportunity to see up close the star attraction, Leonardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa.
I have also visited the British Museum, London. This museum has millions of works of art from all over the world, and its galleries are devoted to Roman civilisation, the Egypt, Greece, Asia, medieval Europe and Africa. The Egyptian Museum, Cairo was impressive especially the exhibits on famous artifacts from the ancient tomb, including from Tutankhamun.
After many years of waiting, finally we can witness the launching of the Borneo Cultures Museum since it was first constructed in 2014.
Obviously, it will be one of the must-visit attractions or destinations for any visitors and tourists coming to Kuching.
Tonight, Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching will be launched by Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and open to the public on March 9. It was completed in 2019 and was scheduled to be declared open last year, but due to the pandemic situation, the opening was delayed.
What is unique and outstanding about the Borneo Cultures Museum? This 30,000sq m state-of-the-art and iconic landmark with five levels, houses the rich history, culture and heritage of the diverse population and indigenous people of Sarawak and Borneo.
It is set to be Malaysia’s largest museum complex, and claimed to be the second largest museum in South-East Asia after the Singapore National Museum.
The museum and its annexed building were built under the 11th Malaysia Plan as part of the Sarawak Museum Campus Project and the project cost of RM323 million was fully funded by the state government.
The new museum will incorporate immersive and interactive experiences for visitors by utilising audio-visual technology and augmented reality.
We can learn a lot from the museum. The visit to the museum will give a unique experience to the visitors. As museums often have extensive and rich collections of objects and artifacts from various periods, we can experience them all under one roof.
We hope this museum will provide a sense of community and place by celebrating a collective heritage, offering a great way to get to know the history of Sarawak and Borneo.
We can learn a lot about the history, culture, people, arts of Sarawak and Borneo just by visiting the museum. There’s no doubt that it is not only an ideal place to learn about human history, but cultures of different ethnic groups in Sarawak.
A visit to the museum can expose us to in-depth information on various subjects, especially that of interest to us. It offers more than the history text book can offer.
The journey that brings you to over thousand artifacts highlighting Sarawak’s rich cultures and history will allow you to form your own unique experiences and take away information that interests you.
The museum is a manifestation our demography, culture, history and identity – that we should be proud of. Indeed Sarawak has many museums that preserve and exhibit many treasures, and definitely it has great tourism value.
The purposes of modern museums, amongst others, are to display objects of historical, cultural, artistic or scientific significance for the study and education of the public.
As for the Borneo Cultures Museum, l believe it will be able to provide a sense of community and esprit de corps to various ethnic groups in Sarawak. It is also a place for us to celebrate a collective cultural, historical heritage, offering a great way to get to know our own history and people. Sadly, not many people are interested in visiting museums because they regard museum as a boring place and not worth a visit.
As such, various strategies have to be formulated to attract visitors, particularly the students. This museum will always have a role to play in educating and shaping the mind of our future generation.
Thus, we should encourage the young generation to visit the museum for them to know and understand our culture, history, art, and more.
Thousands of exhibits or artifacts well organised and structured in such a way are often noteworthy to make your trip worthwhile. In fact, museums have a lot to teach about many things, from prehistory period to modern political history.
By visiting the museum we can nurture an appreciation amongst them to better understand the history, culture and the various ethnic groups in Sarawak.
Museum teaches us about our past and our people. With an exhibition area of 6,726sq m, visitors can look forward to three permanent gallery floors at the Borneo Cultures Museum.
These permanent galleries will also carry the themes: In Harmony With Nature, Objects Of Desire and Time Changes. The remaining two floors will include a children’s gallery, arts and craft hub, temporary exhibition area, museum shop, restaurant, event halls and more.
Take the opportunity to visit our very own unique museum, more so now as entry will be free-of-charge for the first three months after opening.
Yes, museums are a great way to spend time with family and friends in a positive way as it gives you a chance to pursue your interests and gain a better understanding of Sarawak and Borneo.
According to American Association of Museums, museums average approximately 865 million visits per year or 2.3 million visits per day. They visit museums for different purposes. For some it is an opportunity to peek into the past and see rare and valuable artifacts of the bygone era.
So, why not spend time with your family to visit the Borneo Cultures Museum soon?
The museum will open daily from 9am to 4.45pm from Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Last entry is at 4pm.
But members of the public are encouraged to pre-book their visits at museum.sarawak.gov.my as a maximum of 500 persons are allowed to be inside the building at a time.
Enjoy your journey exploring our history, culture and heritage at the Borneo Cultures Museum. It will give you a deeper and new insight into how unique and beautiful Sarawak is, and that will surely help you appreciate it more.
