Call to set up museum of the millennium

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst debates flaring up over the treasures unearthed at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, renowned museologist George Jacob has said that the movable fortunes inside the temple vaults should be put up for a mobile exhibition. Talking to City Express on the sidelines of a talk organised by Shangri-la art gallery, the Indian-born Canadian museologist said that the mobile exhibition would boost cultural exchange programmes and strengthen diplomatic ties among various nations.‘’The wealth of the temple should be subjected to collective analysis. A mobile exhibition should be organised in a systematic manner so that the rare fortunes could come to light for public display. The exhibits should be moved all around the globe so that it could enhance diplomatic relations among the countries,’’ he said.George Jacob, who has been planning and designing museums for the last 25 years, also said that there should not be any compromise on the preservation of the recently-discovered temple assets. ‘’All these fortunes unearthed inside the temple are closely woven into the religious consciousness of the believers. Hence the treasures should be well-preserved.’’He also said that the government should appoint an expert panel that can act as an advisory board to the authorities. “The unveiling of the temple treasures offers the opportunity for a Museum of the Millennium - an institution unparalleled in its conception, inception, significance and global presence. The process needs to be handled professionally with clear terms of reference adhering to best practices in museum planning, design, installation and project execution” he added.The setting up of such a museum shall include assessment of premise, provenance, antiquity and condition reports that will provide the basis for functional planning and establishing the framework for recommendation towards the museum precinct and master plan, he said.George Jacob, who has authored two books on museum management, is a former Executive Board Member of the Commonwealth Association of Museums. He was instrumental in the planning of  Khalsa Heritage Complex in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab.