Page 14 - AHATA

A14 LOCAL
Thursday 7 November 2019

Exploring the Role of Museums in the Aruban Society

seums don’t only influence the the school curriculum throughout
ORANJESTAD – Throughout the entire discussion of national cultural heri- fostering and strengthening cul- various disciplines and levels. The
tage, museums and historical cultural institutions are considered imper- tural system, but serve as a pillar focus should be on inclusivity in
ative pillars for the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage. In in sectors such as education and educational policy making and
previous columns the focus was mainly on describing the essence of tourism. project management. Educa-
these concepts and what they could contribute to the dialogue in the tional planners should consider
Aruban local cultural context. Museums and Education working closely with museum
With no doubt we can conclude professionals on how the avail-
Fortunately, yesterday on November 5th 2019, after being closed for more that education is a critical asset able educational resources in the
than two years, the ‘Museo Arceologico Nacional Aruba’ (MANA) was re- for sustainable development. museum can be integrated into
opened to the public. The MANA was initially opened on July 26th 2019 and Education that is not represen- the curriculum and the learning
has since then paved the way for other museum developments on the is- tative of the cultures of the peo- process at all levels. The goal for
land. With the use of the Tourism Product Enhancement Fund (TPEF) the Gov- ple in a society is empty and in- museums should be to use their
ernment of Aruba was able to invest in the resources needed to reopen the competent. One of the primary collections in promoting a bet-
permanent exposition of the MANA to the Aruban community. objectives of any museum is to ter understanding of the collec-
educate the public, and it is only tive Aruban heritage, which will
Besides the MANA, Aruba has several other museums such as; the Industry the museum that has the capac- have the effect of fostering the
Museum, the San Nicolas Community Museum, the Aloe Museum, the History ity and the ability to impart cul- commonality of those things that
Museum, the Carnival Exhibition and so on. “Museums can play a leading tural education effectively as unite the nation and its people.
role in bolstering the creative economy locally and regionally. Museums are it encompasses the necessary As education becomes a global
also increasingly present in the social sphere, acting as platforms for debate resources for doing so in its col- issue as the century evolves, it
and discussion, tackling complex societal issues and encouraging public lections. Most museums possess should be clearly understood that
participation” (UNESCO, 2019). Continuing the vision of the Aruban govern- diverse materials and information the museum is a veritable institu-
ment, working towards a human-centered approach, the aim should be that can and therefore should be tion in the learning process that
on fostering sustainable cultural development in the Aruban society. Mu- used in enriching and improving should be fully integrated into
the educational system. This push
can also encourage museums to
innovate and provide a learning
experience that fits the needs of
students in the 21st century.

Museum and Tourism
Besides local development, on a
broader perspective, museums
can promote cultural diplomacy
that will engender greater under-
standing between people and
other nations. “Along with the
dramatic rise in cultural tourism in
recent decades, the number of
museums around the world has
increased from 22,000 in 1975 to
55,000 today” (UNESCO, 2019).
Cultural tourism is therefore also
significant in this discussion. Tour-
ism that is concentrated on “a
country culture, overtly the life-
style of the people in those geo-
graphical areas, the history of
those people, their art, architec-
ture, religion, and other elements
that helped shape their way of
life” (UNESCO, 2018).
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