History of Museum Movement at National and International level

Dr (Mrs.) H Bilashini Devi *

A display at the Museum inside Kangla in May 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

The earliest museum was a royal museum at Alexendria, during the Hellenistic period, supported by the Ptolemy. There men of science lived together and worked on different problems. It was encyclopedic in its character and contents. It may be called research institution or University. It was not a museum in modern sense that we understand today as our public Museum as Baroda Museum and Indian Museum at Calcutta etc.

The next stage in the development of the concept of museum was in the form of collections belonging to the royal houses, princes, noble man and the wealthy persons who possessed high positions. Their valuable collections were kept in private cabinet in chambers for the enjoyment of their dignitaries. Such collections were meant to exhibit their richness or knowledge or refined taste. They stood as symbols of the social status and the aesthetic to the person which controlled the society. It was opened on social occasion to their own circles and restricted visitors who were aristocrats and scholars. This trend continued even in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The development of the Museum is very recent. It is confined to only last two centuries roughly between the middle of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries. New concept of the public museum was envolved by the European society. It was the result of social changes.

The change in the concept and scope of education was mainly responsible for the development of visual education. It was felt that the collections owned by the private benefactors should be accessible to all persons. So the means of knowledge should be shared widely.

In addition to this, the discoveries of archaeological remains of the great civilization of Egypt, Persia, India, China etc. gave an unprecedented incentive to the collection of objects belonging to the ancient past. The museum of the 18th and 19th centuries had aroused the importance of a wider public antiquities, yet the visitors were mainly from intellectual classes of those societies.

After the world war I, a new epoch began in the history of museum. This war different from what happened in the long years of middle age in European countries. It came to realize that museum were to play an active part in the cultural reconstructions and means of education. The ideas of utilization of museum as means of education were evolved in England and other European countries. The movement to improve museum was accelerated after the Second World War. The devastation of war brought a fresh point of view and re-examination of the purpose and possibilities, eagerness of profit by new method and accumulated experience.

Different stages of the history of museum development can be classified as follows:-

1. Formative phases (1796-1857):- These are known as formative phases. However, the foundation of real museum activities in India was laid in 1784, by the hand of the enthusiastic persons led by the brilliant scholars such as Sir William John. He arrived in India as a judge of Calcutta Supreme Court. After seeing the rich cultural heritage of India on 15th Feb. 1784. "The Royal Asiatic Society" was established for promoting oriental research. The programme of the scholars who work under the guidance of William John included a multicity of topics such as Geology, Ethnology, Minereology, Architecture and Medicine.

Sir William John extended the boundaries of the investigation of the Asiatic society to the geographical limit of Asia to include whatever was performed by man or produce by the nature. In the year 1796 secretary H. Williach suggested to establish a suitable place in India to house the cultural property. But it eas Dr. Williach, a Danish Botanist who gave the impetus to the proposal in a letter dated Feb. 2, 1814 to the council of Asiatic society and established. "The India Museum" in Calcutta. Dr. Willach became the honourary curator. Thus he became the first curator of an Indian museum.

Soon the Indian museum movement spread to Madras. Madras literary society established a museum at Madras in 1828. In Bombay the Victoria and Albert museum were established in the year 1852. By the year 1857 there were 12 Museums established in India.

2. Second phase (1858 to 1898) "Contribution of the native state" :- After the great revolution of 1857 the parliament of England took the administration of India from the East India Company. So the progress of the Indian museum movement was hampered for a short period. But it got a momentum when the Govt. of India accepted in principle to give all encouragement to build up the history of Indian sub-continent. In the year 1861 Archaeological survey of India was established under Alexender Cunningham.

Queen Victoria declared that all the steps should be taken to preserve the vast cultural heritage of the country and all the help would be given to build the history of the sub-continent. so, "The Treasure Trove Act of 1878" was passed during the reign of Lord Lytton by authorizing the govt. to claim the possession of any treasure unearthed that exceeded ten rupees in values and in the year 1880 Lord Lytton was elected as curator. As a mark of Queen Victoria's celebration of Silver Jubilee 1888 several museums came into existence. The principal museums were Victoria Memorial Hall at Calcutta, Jaipur Museum, Bijay Bara, Madras, and Baroda Museum etc. (24 Museum were established in this Phase).

3. 3rd Phase(Lord Curzon) & (John Marashell) 1898-1 .. :- In the 3rd phase of the museum development during the reign of Lord Curzon the modern movement of museum was founded. His reign saw the enactment of the Ancient Antiquity Preservation Act 1914. The main objects of the Act were to ensure the proper upkeep and repair of ancient buildings in private ownership excepting those which were used for religious proposes in this phase 13 museums came into existence. Much have been done to preserve the antiquities of different objects. His policy was that no antiquity should be transferred fromits original site.

4. 4th phase (1914 onwards):- During the 4th phase of Indian museum movement, John Marshell came to India. With the appointment of john Marshell the conservation and exploration were simultaneously pushed ahead during this phase, Marshell was responsible for setting up a large number of site museum in India under the direct control of the survey including those at Agra, New Delhi, Delhi fort, Lahore fort, an excavated sites of Taxila, Mohenjodaro, Harrapa, Sarnath, Nalada, Ajmeer, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Sanchi and Dhakka etc. during this phase the archaeological survey discovered the civilization of Mohenjodaro and Harrappa. "Bruce Foot" is considered as the father of Indian pre-history

5. 5th phase (1947 to 1958):- With the appointment of Sir Moiteimer wheeler as the Director General of Archaeology of India a new era began. When Wheeler arrived in India he saw the pathetic condition of the museums in India under the control of Archaeology Survey of India. All these museums were nota serving their role effectively and were totally neglected so he established the "Museum branch" which all museum came under the direct control and superintendent of Archaeology

At the international level also many a great changes weretaking place after the Second World War. UNESCO came into existence with its head quarter in Paris. Museum branch of the UNESCO was during a Yeoman's service by its quarterly publication namely "Museum" by arranging international seminars in different regions of the world keeping in mind the necessity ofa particular region, by giving Scholarships to museum persons etc. all these activities had given a great deal of encouragement.

A central Advisory Board of Museum (C.A.B.M.)was established by the Ministry of Education Govt. of India in 1956. It provided funds for museum buildings, improvement of exhibition, storage, publications etc. it helped in many ways. The Ministry of Education also held "Museum camps" every year in different places of different subjects.

At the national level also, Museum Association of India since 1949, had successfully worked to co-ordinate museums of the country. The association solved the problem of museums in the country by holding annual conferences, giving advice to the small museums, by publishing journal of its own. ICOM was quite effective particularly in all major functions of the organization.

The museum movement from the national and the international point of view,had been accomplished in almost all countries usually from about 1870 onwards. The place of museum foundation quickened in the early 20th century except during the 2nd World War. In England in the 13 C.A.D. many new museums came up by collection of private properties of rich people in 1750-51. During this period great economic revolution (industrial revolution) took place. After that, many museums were coming up during 18th centuries. Victoria and Albert Auseum, London were established in the year 1851.

A part of industrial, cultural and educational growth of Britain happened to take place in the Crystal Palace. The Victoria and Albert museum were founded in the year 1855 following the exposition of 1851 and it became a museum of Art and Craft under the name of Victoria and Albert Museum in 1899.

Another example is the collection of Greek Antiquities in Italy particularly associated with the Renaissance and so influential it was in its development in fields of throughout Europe in 17th and 18th Centuries due to the collection of antiquities of Kings and noble men.

In America many a new museums came up after the great American War of Independence (1772). The French Revolution took place and in France monarchy was over and places were turned into museums. Royal collection, public collections and it had a great effect on the neighbouring countries.

Destruction of World War I and II brought a great change in the history of museum movement.

In the later part of 19th century basically museums were started for the 1st time in U.S.A. Later on, American Museum of Natural History Sprang up. After 1947 revolution museum act started. Thus many Museum Sprang up in different parts of India.