Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Dr Sunil Kumar Jha, Deputy Director, Bihar Museum, Patna, Bihar, India, suniljhaasi@gmail.com
Shanker Sharma, Ass. Prof., Magadh University, Bihar, India, shanker.sharma74@yahoo.co.in
Museums are vital institutions in safeguarding cultural heritage, acting as bridges between the past, present, and future. They house and preserve artefacts, traditions, and stories that reflect human creativity, history, and identity. In today’s globalised and rapidly changing world, museums play a crucial role in preserving cultural diversity and fostering a deeper understanding of humanity’s shared heritage. This session seeks to explore the evolving role of museums in cultural heritage preservation, interpretation, and promotion. It aims to highlight how museums not only conserve tangible and intangible heritage but also actively engage with communities to ensure that cultural narratives remain relevant and inclusive. By showcasing cultural diversity, museums contribute to a sense of identity, belonging, and mutual respect across societies.
This session invites museum professionals, archaeologists, historians, and related experts to present papers on a wide range of topics, including Museums and Cultural Heritage, Museums as Educational Hubs, Art and Iconography in Museums, Museums and Research, Museum Management and Future Directions, Museums and Tourism, Museums and Archaeological Preservation, Archaeological Storytelling in Museums, Archaeological Museums as Research Hubs, Open-Air Sculpture Gardens, Archaeological Theme Parks, and the Conservation and Preservation of Art Objects. The session aims to position museums as vibrant spaces for education, dialogue, and cultural diplomacy, ensuring that cultural heritage continues to inspire and strengthen resilience for future generations. This exchange of ideas will reaffirm the critical role of museums as guardians of our shared human narrative.
Papers:
A New Approach: Enhancing Museum Interests Using Storytelling and Polymorphism
Rupesh Dhokane, Rastrasant Tuktoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, India
Shivani Kamdi, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, India
Storytelling and narrative dates back to the time when the evidence of written records is available. This comes under the intangible assets of a culture. Storytelling is also an art form performed in different places in different languages. In the walk of technology, this method of passing through generations is becoming outdated. Again, through the help of technology such as AI and AR this art form can be revived. Museums hold a special place for the revival of this art form and rejuvenating the skill of storytelling. India has a very long history of storytelling and performing it in front of people to keep alive the feeling of the sacrifice of the people and even showcasing the literature of that particular region and culture. If a completely different session in the museum is dedicated to this purpose, then the visitors will come to know about the art of storytelling and many forgotten stories will have a place to be performed. Eye-witnessing and listening have different impacts on the mind and memory of the person. Admixing traditional and technological methods will give special impact to the galleries dedicated to this, as, along with the effects, there will be live shows and people performing the event from different parts of India. Many hidden and well-known stories are sung for different kings. These stories will be performed live in the museum but a dedicated gallery for interpretation will also be there. Storytelling and museums can work hand in hand to make this element more interesting and memorable.
Digital Interpretations and Heritage Accessibility in Museums: A Case Study of Virtual Experiential Gallery Ajanta of National Museum, India
Divya, Museum Assistant, National Museum, New Delhi, India
Tripti, Museum Assistant, National Museum, New Delhi, India
The modern world is rapidly changing, with technology becoming an integral aspect of contemporary life. To maintain relevance in the evolving landscape, museums have increasingly integrated technology into their operations, from collection management to exhibition design and collection interpretation to the public. Technology is employed to introduce new dimensions of communication and learning within museums, with the aim of enhancing the communicative potential of the presented heritage. The integration of digital technological mediums has also revolutionised the accessibility and interpretation of heritage, reshaping the ways in which visitors engage with cultural artefacts and narratives.
This paper explores the role of these technologies in enhancing visitor experiences, promoting inclusivity, and bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary learning. Using the Virtual Experiential Gallery Ajanta (VEGA) at the National Museum, New Delhi, as a case study, the analysis examines how immersive tools such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), interactive displays, and digital storytelling facilitate deeper engagement with the cultural heritage. This analysis highlights the transformative potential of digital mediums in democratising cultural heritage and ensuring its relevance in the digital age.
A Stolen National Treasure Rooted in Iron Age Archaeology and its Storytelling (the Golden Helmet from Coțofenești, Romania)
Dragoș Măndescu, Argeș County Museum, Pitești, Romania
The recent looting of the Coțofenești golden helmet from a museum in the Netherlands where it was on loan, at the end of a temporary exhibition on Bronze and Iron Age goldsmithing, meant shock, horror and grief for Romanian archaeology, as it probably should have meant for European archaeology as well. This sensational golden helmet from the Second Iron Age (dating from around 300 BC) has become a national treasure for Romania in the almost 100 years since its discovery, firmly establishing itself in the national consciousness of the Romanian people. This paper will assess this ‘ideological mechanism’, but also bring the necessary data to contextualise this Iron Age masterpiece historically and culturally and integrate it into the archaeological landscape of the area. The main significant elements for shaping the Second Iron Age community south of the Carpathians that owned this helmet 23 centuries ago will be discussed: both those related to the density and forms of the Iron Age habitat in the respective area, those related to control over resources (forests, pastures, salt and the trans-Carpathian access road), as well as the mythical and ideological ones (derived from the expressive iconography of the helmet).
Exiled Memories: Learning Activities for the Elderly Within and Beyond the Museum Environment
Nota Pantzou, University of Patras, Greece
Despina Paspala, Centre for the Elderly, Municipality of Nikea, Agios Ioannis Rentis, Greece
Charilaos Sismanis, Museum of Political Exiles of Ai Stratis, Greece
Over the past decade, the number of learning and cultural activities designed for the elderly has seen a significant rise at both the global and national levels. This trend is corollary of the rising concern regarding the impact of global population ageing and of the recognition of the role that museums, art and cultural organisations can play in mitigating its effects. The aim of this paper is to present a pilot project designed by the Museum of Political Exiles of Ai Stratis, a grassroots history museum in Athens, Greece and carried out in collaboration with the Open Care Centres (OCCE) for the Elderly of the Municipality of Nikaia in Athens and was supported by Diadrasis. The ‘Exiled memories’ program aspires through cultural and learning activities designed for the members of the OCCE, to raise awareness about the difficult heritage of political exile, a widespread phenomenon in 20th century Greece, to activate their memories and to engage them in conversations about the past, art and community. This paper will consider the potential benefits of engaging the elderly in educational programs within and beyond the museum environment, taking into consideration existing research and will share the particularities of this voluntary initiative.
Creating Revolutionary Prospects for Curation of Archaeological Artefacts in Bihar Museum and Patna Museum
Dr Sunil Kumar Jha, Deputy Director, Bihar Museum, Bihar, India
Patna Museum emerged as only the second public museum in Eastern India in the year 1917, with a large number of significant archaeological artefacts being retrieved from contemporary explorations and excavations. The century old building of the museum constrained the desired level of curation of objects in accordance with the changing principles and concepts of museum and visitors’ engagement. In 2015 it shared its repository with the Bihar Museum, which was established with a new vision of representing the regional history and culture of Bihar. The vast availability of space in the Bihar Museum and a massive extension of the old building of the Patna Museum provided ample scope for reorganising the collection in accordance with the evolved principles of curation through updated technology. The opportunity was seized to add many more collections lying unattended in storage.
This paper divulges the revolutionary changes brought out through the curatorial treatment of archaeological objects, including their conservation, documentation and digitisation that has collectively raised the two museums to international repute. As a result, the Bihar Museum and Patna Museum now offer much wider opportunities to engage visitors, scholars and researchers.
Tracing Manifestation of the Serpent Goddess in Bihar through the Patna Museum Collections
Tanuja Jha, Patna Museum, Patna, Bihar, India
Humans started worshipping snakes out of fear, especially in the areas where snakes were common. Snakes symbolise good fortune and have been worshipped for prosperity, fertility and protection against the perils of snakebites. References of snake worship are prevalent in many folk traditions of Bihar and the neighbouring area. The representation of snakes in art began with rock art and has continued in sculptural forms, both as realistic and in anthropomorphic forms.
Museums of Bihar house a rich collection of representations of snake deities, with a notable presence of the Serpent Goddess Manasa, also known as Bisahari or Bisahara. Manasa is an anthropomorphic representation of the snake goddess prominently worshipped in eastern India even today. The intricately carved sculptures in the museum collection of Bihar offer valuable insights into the artistic, as well as religious traditions. The proposed paper will explore the legacy of the Serpent Goddess Manasa and interpret her artistic manifestation in the museums of Bihar. It will also examine the journey of the artefacts from their origin to the museum collection, including acquisition, curation and exhibition.
The Role of Exhibit and Display Design of Bihar Museum, Patna, India
Shankar Jai Kishan, Curator, Bihar Museum, Patna, Art, Culture & Youth Dept, Govt. of Bihar, Patna, India
Bihar is a land of rich cultural, political and physical territory, that has created a unique geographical environment conducive to the emergence, revival and growth of many cultures and civilisations. Remains of archaeological and historical importance are scattered everywhere in Bihar, but there was a lack of adequate centres to display and preserve these antiquities. In order to fill this breach, it was decided to build the Bihar Museum and the construction of it started in 2009. After a decade long journey this museum is now contemplate as a symbol of Bihar because of its unique building architecture and interior fabrication, which showcases the whole human history of this country. The present abstract is an endeavour to bring before museum professionals observations on how the challenge of this new cultural institution has been taken up to highlight the unparallelled heritage of Bihar. The purpose of this study is to establish whether the current display of artefacts in the museum is ideal for the engagement of visitors. The study will also put emphases on labelling, circulation and display thoughts in the museum.
Bihar Museum Emerging as a Model Centre for the Study of Archaeology and Heritage
Nicky Kumari
In recent years, Bihar Museum has swiftly grown as a participative, interactive and engaging museum perfectly aligning itself with the principles of neo museology. Its holistic management approach has transformed it into an active social institution informally educating the visitors about archaeology and heritage. To become moreinclusive, it has further stretched the limits of a conventional museum to include intangible heritage that distinguishes the Bihar state. This makes it a complete package for comprehensive study of the State’s regional culture. The museum uses updated technology for design, display, lighting, education, publication, outreach, storage, conservation, etc., that sets a benchmark for any museum. Further, it stays relevant to almost all demographic groups.
The proposed research paper delves into the rapid success story of Bihar Museum, which has so quickly carved a deep niche at national and international level as a museum of archaeology and heritage. In the process it critically analyses the factors, technologies and strategies adopted by this museum to become a torch bearer as heritage educator and provide a meaningful direction to the museum movement in India and abroad.