MUSEUMS have a vital role to play in society despite the avid interest in digital technology, SA Museum Association president Beverly Thomas said yesterday.
Thomas was addressing guests at the Sama annual conference held at Pine Lodge near Cape Recife.
The four-day conference, themed “practical museology”. attracted academics and professionals from museums across the country.
Thomas said documenting history was important despite the interest in technology among youngsters. “Young people’s fascination with the real is far more important.”
Her colleague, heritage specialist Ishmael Mbhokodo, of Mogale City Museum, agreed: “What is more important is that people would like to see the real thing.”
This was the first annual Sama conference held in September – Heritage Month – said KwaZulu Natal museum services director Dolly Khumalo.
“Museums are the custodians of heritage of all nationalities and cultures,” Khumalo said. “They can be used as a reference for our future generations.”
Sephai Mnqolo, of the McGregor Museum in Kimberley, spoke on the way exhibitions engaged the public with history.
“Exhibitions have created a dialogue within our community.”
Historical exhibits played a critical role in South African society. They were created in such a way that visitors to the museum could understand the past.
Yet, he said, the age-old debate about the relevance of old ways of displaying national history – and in turn educating the public – arose as the idea was constantly evaluated in the profession due to the boom in technology and the growing interest in the sciences.
Smaller museums – which battle with the expense of keeping up with current trends in the digital age – were presented with new ways of managing their museums more cheaply.
Marvin Carstens, of Bayworld, addressed this issue while he presented fascinating ways in which museums could re-invent their image and appeal to modern visitors in a more interactive and cost-effective way.
“Find a link to the modern-day and make the experience more relevant,” he said.
He displayed the model of a great white shark that is on display at Bayworld.
He made it entirely out of silicon rubber that he purchased from his local hardware store. An old windscreen wiper motor was used to animate the shark’s jaw.
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