A major upgrade is coming for the Barbados Museum, to be financed through a multi-million dollar fund-raising campaign.
Plans for the refurbishment were unveiled yesterday by president of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Senator Dr Trevor Carmichael.
The project is expected to result in redesigned Museum exhibits as well as the installation of new displays that combine modern historical scholarship with state of the art design.
At a media briefing on activities to mark the Museum’s 80th anniversary on May 31, Carmichael said core exhibits were “old and in many cases outdated”. The first priority of the campaign would be to generate resources needed to rejuvenate the three galleries which housed the museum’s core exhibits.
“Our mission as we celebrate this 80th year . . . will include refurbishing those (galleries) in a significant way – a new roof to meet the current hurricane standards, new wiring, new air-conditioning, new design, new fabrication, installation of new displays that combine modern historical scholarship with state of the art design and which we hope will draw the visitor to the Museum,” Carmichael said.
He added that the redesigned exhibits would be fashioned in such a way as to appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of the Barbadian society. The improvements would contribute to the development of the Garrison itself as a major centre for heritage entertainment and cultural activities, Carmichael said.
Outlining the overall future vision, the Museum’s director Alissandra Cummins said it was necessary to look at the new research that emerged within the last 20 years concerning Barbados’ historical development.
In this context, she said the exhibits would have to be redesigned with that new historical data into consideration. (GC)
