Cotton University and Assam State Museum hold workshop on museum management
Cotton University and Assam State Museum jointly organised a workshop on museum collection, care, and management from July 16 to 20. The workshop included hands-on activities, expert-led sessions, and exploration of the museum's zoological collections.
The Zoology Department of Cotton University and the Assam State Museum jointly organised a comprehensive capacity building workshop on 'Museum Collection, Care, and Management' from July 16 to 20.
20 participants participated in the workshop which shared information on collection management, documentation and conservation through a combination of hands-on activities, expert-led sessions, and exploration of the museum's vast zoological collections.
The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Dr Ramesh Chandra Deka, Vice Chancellor, Cotton University, Guwahati in the presence of Arindom Barua, ACS, Director of Museums, ITFC Department and Prof Arup Kumar Hazarika, Head of the Department of Zoology & Dean of Life Sciences, Cotton University.
Experts from the Assam State Museum, Mrinmoy Das, DMO, Darrang and LPO I/c Assam State Museum, Antareen Talukdar, Laboratory Chemist, Assam State Museum and Yugal Krishna Dutta, Photographer, Assam State Museum and Hemanta Saikia, Artist cum Modeller of the Assam State Museum imparted the theoretical and technical knowledge to the participants.
The students were taught the methodology for documenting specimens in different forms. In the conservation sessions, the students were taught to prepare the condition assessment reports and methods for addressing deterioration factors such as light, storage, dust, dirt among others.
29 specimens were selected as a case study for the workshop from 6 categorically defined classes, which were then methodically studied and documented. During the session, the students were also introduced to the different conservation grade materials which is needed for storing or displaying the specimens.
The workshop was facilitated by the professors of the Zoology department, Dr. Anjana Singha Naorem and Dr. Binita B. Baruah. Arindom Barua, ACS, Director of Museums, expressed that the Assam State museum is in the process of signing an MoU with the Cotton University which shall help both the institutions to develop and conduct collaborative activities in the field of art and science objects, conduct analytical studies and research on material heritage, undertake preservation and conservation of the artifact artefacts in possession of both the institutions.