PIMA media release

27 June 2006

Building for the future: designing new museums for the Pacific

PIMA Members visit an archaeological dig as part of a training workshop in Vanuatu, June 2006

The Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA) is holding its 8th Training Workshop for museum professionals from around the Pacific region at the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from the 27-30 June 2006. The workshop entitled ‘Building for the Future: Designing New Museums for the Pacific’ will focus on designing appropriate museums and cultural centres for the Pacific Island countries and territories. The workshop has been made possible thanks to the generous financial assistance from the Canadian High Commission in Canberra, Australia, through its Canada Fund Program. The Australian Museum in Sydney is generously providing expert trainers for the workshop.

Cultural Centre and Museum staff will be attending this workshop from the following countries: Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Samoa, Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) and Vanuatu.

In order to preserve our valuable past, Pacific museum buildings have to be designed appropriately and are our only line of defence against a number of risks including disasters, pests, temperature and humidity

In all countries, museums and cultural centres provide a crucial public service. As well as caring for the tangible heritage collections of a community, museums and cultural centres often function as a meeting place or community centre. Museums provide a performance space or forum for the enactment of traditions and ceremonies that keep local languages, songs, dances and stories alive. They are a provider of educational services and entertainment venues and museum shops provide an outlet for the sale of locally made handicrafts – providing a source of income for local artisans and craftspeople.

In order to provide these functions and services, museum and cultural centre buildings need to be well designed and architecturally suited to the environments and cultures in which they are situated. It is for this reason that PIMA has identified this important issue as the topic for this workshop. PIMA training courses have since 1993 empowered many museum staff across the Pacific with knowledge and skills within a variety of areas that help museum staff deal with challenges and opportunities that come with heritage management in a changing environment. This will be the first time that the issue of museum design and architecture has been discussed at a PIMA training workshop.

Countries in the Pacific face unique problems in preserving their heritage collections – problems attributable to a combination of extreme relative humidity, excessive salt levels, voracious tropical insects and ubiquitous mould. In addition, each nation experiences an average of one devastating cyclone every five years. Participants will learn about how to construct buildings that will better protect their collections and serve the functions of their cultural centres.

The training team is led by Mr Vinod Daniel, Head of Collection and Research Resources at the Australian Museum, Sydney. Mr Steve King, a chartered architect in NSW and Deputy Director of the Centre for a Sustainable Built Environment (CSBE) at the University of New South Wales, Mr Ian Cook, Managing Director 3CS Asia Pacific, and Ms Jocelyn Cuming, National Preservation Officer at the National Library of New Zealand, complete the training team.

Mr Daniel states that, “In order to preserve our valuable past, museum buildings have to be designed appropriately and are our only line of defence against a number of risks including disasters, pests, temperature and humidity”. He adds, “This week will be an important week for the countries represented as they plan on building or adapting their own museums and cultural centres”.

Mr Ralph Regenvanu, Director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre and PIMA Board Member, is delighted to host this PIMA Workshop, the first held since 2001. Mr Regenvanu said, “It is a delightful coincidence that the PIMA Secretariat has just moved in as part of the Cultural Centre and that this workshop will be its first training workshop for PIMA since 2001”.

During an evening event at the Cultural Centre on Wednesday 28th June, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be signed between PIMA and the Australian Museum. The MOU concerns the protection, preservation and promotion of Pacific cultural heritage by providing training, carrying out collaborative projects and resource sharing. Dr Les Christidis, Deputy Director of the Australian Museum, will personally sign the MOU on behalf of the Australian Museum.

The workshop has been made possible thanks to the generous financial assistance from the Canadian High Commission in Canberra, Australia, through its Canada Fund Program. The Australian Museum in Sydney is generously providing expert trainers for the workshop.

For further information and to arrange interviews, call the Vanuatu Cultural Centre on 678 28063, 678 28064 or 678 22129.