Iranian museums, historical sites, monuments, and complexes listed by UNESCO, will soon function under the direction of a board of trustees, Masoud Soltanifar, Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization announced.
According to the official when it comes to cultural development, museums are a major asset. All artifacts and creations kept in museums bear within them a historical identity which dates back to more than thousands of years; therefore museums can promote cultural and intellectual development for generations to come.
Introducing a board of trustees is bound to be of benefit to the museums, and with the collaboration of specialists in the field, cultural development will further gain pace, ISNA reports.
At the first meeting of the council for the organization of museum affairs, the official said the task of the council was to commission new museums and to improve those currently operational.
ICHTO budget proposal
In line with the Sixth Five-Year Economic Development Plan, which commences in 2016, the necessary statutes for further expansion of museum-related activities have been set out during specialized workgroups engaged in diverse subsectors. Hopefully this will enhance cultural development and bring about further significant achievements for the ICHTO, the official said.
The official also maintained that the “ICHTO is the first and only executive organization to have presented its budget proposal a year in advance.”
Million Monuments
Iran is home to in the region of a million monuments, sites, and historical complexes, and so the country can be considered a museum in its own right. According to Soltanifar, it is estimated that ten times the number of invaluable artifacts which have been discovered and showcased in museums around the world, still remain unexcavated underground. These sites need to be located and their hidden treasures and mysteries exposed.
Lackluster
Museums are a major asset when it gets to presenting the country’s history and civilization. Soltanifar believes, however, that museums in Iran are in need of a facelift and restructure. The information placards explaining sites and displays needs to be a lot more professional.
He further added that museums should attract younger visitors. They need to compete with other cultural facilities such as cinemas and theatres in terms of numbers of visitors received. “Our museums are unfortunately rather dull and lackluster and get overlooked,” the official stated. “We need to think more creatively and look for inspiration in new approaches, with a view to making our museums more appealing to younger visitors,” he added.
