Museums are testimonial to the experiences of an age and history, Minister for Museums, Archaeology, and Archives Kadannappally Ramachandran has said.
He was speaking after performing the State-level inauguration of International Museum Day celebrations at the Museum Band Stand here on Saturday.
The Minister called for recognising attempts to rewrite and overlook history. Accurate information about a place and time should be conveyed to the new generation, he said.
The theme of this year’s International Museum Day was ‘Museums for Education and Research.’ This message should be taken to the people for the celebrations to have full meaning, he said.
The government, the Minister said, stance was to ensure conservation and maintenance of museums. The modern concept of museums was one of a cultural institution telling a story. They were capable of bringing about intellectual transformation, the Minister said.
The Minister inaugurated a special exhibition of weights and measures, handicraft products, and rare metal oil lamps and a selfie point. V.K. Prasanth, MLA, presided. Culture Secretary Mini Antony, Museum and Zoo director S. Abu, and Kerala Museum executive director R. Chandran Pillai were present.
At a function organised by the Archives department at Central Archives, Fort, to mark the day, the Minister pointed out that the Archives department was the repository of a treasure trove, which included nearly a crore palm-leaf manuscripts.
The Minister said the palm-leaf manuscript museum in the State capital and the Vaikom Satyagraha Museum were a model for the country.
The government policy was to make priceless information in the possession of the department available to the people. Old records from the past should reach maximum number of people and be discussed. As a citizen, every individual should be able to understand and accept historical facts. The government was employing modern technology, including digitisation, to keep the historical records safe. Corporation Tax Appeal standing committee chairperson Palayam Rajan presided. Archives Director in-charge P. Biju spoke.
In connection with the International Museum Day celebrations, an exhibition of historical books published by the department, exhibition of rare gazettes, heritage documentary festival, conservation clinic for conservation of old records in the possession of individuals are being held till May 21.
