Culture Ministry to host State Museum Conclave from Aug 1-3 in Delhi

     New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) Curators, administrators of museums and domain experts will gather next week in Delhi for a three-day conclave to foster collaboration between the Centre and states in pursuance of the proposed 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum' project.
     The State Museum Conclave, to be hosted by the Ministry of Culture, will be held from August 1-3 at the Bharat Mandapam where the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC) is currently underway.
     The upcoming 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum', billed to be the largest museum in the world,” will have eight thematic segments telling the story of India spanning over 5,000 years.
     The new museum, to be housed in the North Block and South Block in the heart of the country's capital, will be spread over 1,54,000 sqm, making it the largest museum in the world.
     "This three-day gathering aims to foster collaboration among state museums and the central government in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum' that aims to exemplify global best practices," the ministry said in a statement.
     "To foster a comprehensive understanding of India's artefact wealth for the 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum', the states have been invited to provide detailed insights into their respective state's collections at the forthcoming state conclave," it said.
     Master classes will also be held with experts from India and abroad spanning various topics such as the architecture and materiality of the North and South Block, global best practices in conservation, fine arts handling, collections management, curation and museum management, officials said.
     The conclave will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including resident commissioners, directors of museums, superintendents, curators and researchers from across the country.
     Senior officials of the ministry, including joint secretary of the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) Division of the ministry as well as the Union Culture Secretary, will also be in attending the event, the officials said.
     Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will address the gathering, the ministry said.
     The State Museum Conclave marks the third phase in a series of capacity-building initiatives undertaken by the GLAM Division of the Ministry of Culture.
     Building upon the success of the inter-ministerial consultation held in June and the subsequent collaborative workshop with museum professionals (directors, curators, education officers, and conservators) in partnership with France Museums last month which culminated in a session chaired by the Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, this conclave aims to "further strengthen the museum ecosystem in India", the officials said.
     Through a series of capacity-building workshops led by renowned Indian and international museum professionals, the ministry "aims to equip state-level personnel with essential skills in collection management, archiving, and museum administration".
     Beyond theoretical knowledge, the three-day forum will offer hands-on training and opportunities to network with potential collaborators for the 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum' project.
     Additionally, the Ministry of Culture will present an overview of available funding schemes, including the recently updated Museum Grant Scheme and the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science, to support state-level museum development initiatives.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)