0.

1 Basic of Museum

Ethics (ETHCOM)

0.1 Basic of Museum

0.1.1 Definition
Museology is the science of museums.
Museology is museum science. It has to do with the study of history and background of
museums, their role in society, specific systems for research, conservation education and
organisation, relationship the physical environment, and the classification of different
kinds of museums
Museography covers methods and practices in the operation of Museums, in all their
various aspects. Museums deal with the materials of the past and the present.
“A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of soci-
ety that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and
intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums
foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically,
professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied ex-
periences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.”
Type of Heritage Forms
Tangible forms (in the form of built-up heritage, art, craft, materials of science and
technology)
Intangible form (in the form of traditions, customs and manners, folklore, culture, values,
knowledge, skill, etc)
Expressive form (language, music, dance etc)

0.2 Museum Origin and Evolution

”Museum” is a word derived from the Greek word ”Mouseion”, meaning the temple of
muses i.e., nine goddesses associated with learning of epic, music, love poetry, oratory,
history, tragedy, comedy, dance and astrology. There are various definitions of museum.

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For Greeks Mouseion is a place of contemplation, a philosophical institution, or a temple
of the muses.
In Greek mythology, the Muses were the goddesses of literature, science, and the arts.
They were also all sisters and daughters of Zeus and Mnemosine, in addition to being
romantic companions of Apollo, god of the arts.
Nine Muses
Calliope is the oldest of the nine Muses, and she is connected to the art of epic poetry
and eloquence.
Clio, who was goddess of memory and the Muse of history and creativity.
Erato is the Muse of romance and poetry, specifically romantic poetry.
Euterpe is a Greek Muse that goes by a number of different names. Euterpe is the
Muse of music and lyric poetry, and is also known as ‘the very pleasant one’ and ‘the
one with a pleasant genius’. Whilst Euterpe is the Muse of all music, she is most closely
associated with the flute.
Melpomene, whose name means ‘the melodious one’ is one of the two Greek Muses of
theatre.
Polyhymnia is the Muse of lyric poetry and is credited in Greek mythology with cre-
ating the lyre, harmony, and even agriculture.
Melpomene is one of two Greek Muses of theatre, and Thalia is the other. Whilst
Melpomene is associated with tragedy, Thalia is closely linked with comedy and poetry
that evokes the natural world. For this reason, Thalia is commonly depicted as a joyful
young woman, often laughing. She is also shown to be wearing a mocking expression,
and carrying the theatrical mask of comedy.
Terpsichore is the Muse of lyric poetry and dancing.
Urania is the youngest of the nine Muses, and is the Muse of astronomy and astrology.
MAI A descriptive definition of museum adopted by the Museum Association of India
is as follows: Museum is a show window of knowledge. Promotes national integration.
It is a mine of knowledge and source of recreation.
It preserves the past for the future.

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 0.3 History of Museums

It is a synonym of education and entertainment.

It brings people together.
It is a mirror of our traditions.
Whether there is war or peace it preserves the cultural heritage.
Heritage and development go hand in hand. The definition adopted at the Annual Gen-
eral Meeting of the Museum Association was: ’A museum is an institution, which
collects, documents, preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and
associated information for the public benefit’.
UNESCO definition of museum is as follows:
A museum is a medium of life-long education through which an awareness of the social,
economic and political aspects of scientific, technological and environmental development
could be created.
As per the Statutes (ICOM Statutes, Article 2, Para. I) adopted by the
11th General Assembly of ICOM (Copenhagen, 14th June 1974) and incor-
porating the amendments adopted by the 14th General Assembly (London,
1-2 August 1983) and by the 15th General Assembly (Buenos Aires. 4th
Nov. 1986),
A museum is a non-profit making permanent institution in the services of
the society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires,
conserves, researches, communicate and exhibits for purposes of study, edu-
cation and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment.

0.3 History of Museums

Ptolemy I was founder of the first museum in the world. When, in the 3rd Century BC,
he threw open to the public view, an institution housing four lakhs of inscribed terracotta
tablets for decipherment, study and research by the visiting scholars at Alexandra in
Egypt.
Idea of an open air museum by - The Emperor, Hadrian, at his villa near Tivoli
In the 15th Century, in Florence, the word museum was first used to describe

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 Figure 1: Christian Museum Vetican city
1773, the Charleston Library Society established a museum in South Carolina in the
United States.

the collection
of Medici at the time of Lorenze, the Magnificent .
The first time the collection bequeathed by the Grimani family was made available
for visitors in 1523. This was the basis of the present archaeological museum in
Venice.
The Ashmolean Museum, set up in Oxford University with the donation of the collection
of Elias Ashmole and John Tradescant, was the first public museum in UK and in the
world in 1683.
It was a research institute. In 1714, Peter I established a museum for the public. It is
now called as the Hermitage Museum.
Pope Benedict XIV established the first Christian Museum in the Vatican City in 1740-
1745

0.3.1 MUSEUM History

Spain the Royal Museum of Praddo was opened to the public by the orders of Joseph
Bonaparte in 1809.
The first museum in Australia, Macleay Museum, University of Sydney was established
in 1874
1825, the first museum of Africa, The South African Museum, Cape was established.
The Louvre was open to the public on a limited basis, but it was the French Revolution,
in 1789, that made it truly a public facility.

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 0.3 History of Museums

Beginning from 1785, i.e. from Charles Willson Peales museological and entrepreneurial
activities in Philadelphia to the establishment of the National Museum in 1846, by an
Act of the Senate of the United States, museum development in the United States was a
public affair. James Smithson, the founder English donor of the Smithsonian Institution
described his extension of funding as to increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.
Hermitage in Leningrad in Russia is one of the largest museums in the world
and specialises in arts.
There are over 5,500 museums in America. In the UK there were 900 museums
and galleries in the UK in 1962. At present there are over 2,500 museums.

0.3.2 History of Indian Museum

In India, the seed of museum was sown in the ancient time in pre-historic
cave paintings, alekhyagrihas (Ranga Mahal - Hall of paintings), chitrasalas
(Paintings Gallery), devakulas, visvakarma mandirs and monasteries, that
served the purpose of education and healthy entertainment.
Foundation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784
establishment of the Indian Museum, Kolkota in 1814 under the Curatorship of Dr.
Nathaniel Wallich.
Madras Literary Society for opening a Museum of Economic Geology in Chennai in 1828
but was established in 1851 in Chennai and Edward Green Balfour took charge of the
museum.

Dr. Balfour had been tried to start provincial museums at Bangalore, Bellary, Coim-
batore, Cuddalore, Ooty, Secundrabad, Mangalore and Trichy. They had succeed to be
established only six provincial museums. This period was a great Victoria Museum,
Karachi in 1851, The Prince of Wales Museum in 1853 and Trivandrum Nat-
ural History Museum and Baroda Museum in 1857.
Indian Mutiny in 1857 left its impact on the growth of the cultural institutions.
By the year 1857, there were twelve museums in India. The progress of the Indian
Museum Movement was slowed down for a short while.
In 1863, State Museums at Lucknow and Nagpur were opened.
It was in 1864 that a museum was established in Lahore.
six museums at Bangalore (1865), Faizabad (1867), Delhi Municipal Mu-
seum (1868), Calcutta Economic Museum (1872), Mathura Museum (1874),
Raipur Museum (1875) and Srinagar Museum (1886) were opened.
During the coronation year of Queen Victoria, 1887, many museums were established.
Lord Lytton that the Indian Treasure-trove Act was passed in 1878.
Museums at Trichur, Udaipur, Bhopal and Jaipur in 1887, Rajkot in 1888,
Baroda and Begawada 1894,
Bhavanagar and Trichirapalli in 1893.

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textbfIn the middle of the 20th Century State Museum of Assam, Guwahati (1940),
Central Museum, Arunachal Pradesh (1956),
Punjab Government Museum (1959),
Orissa State Museum (1963) and
Manipur State Museum (1969)

0.3.3 Site museum in India

Lord Curzon initiate to established the Site museums at Saranath, Pagan, Taxila, Na-
landa, Mohanjadora and Harappa (now in Pakistan). Later site museums at Chamba,
Jodhpur in 1909, Khajuraho and Gwalior in 1910 and Dacca (now in Bangladesh) in
1931 were opened.

0.3.4 other Museum

Prince of Wales to India in order to commemorate this occasion, the Prince of Wales
Museum was opened. It was completed in 1914. In 1936, there were 105 museums in
India. By the recommendation of Markham and Hargreaves, in 1946 all the museums
under the Archaeological Survey of India were brought under the control of the Museum
Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India. Now there are about 700 museums in
India.

ˆ The Prince of Wales to India in order to commemorate this occasion, the Prince
of Wales Museum was opened. It was completed in 1914.

ˆ In 1936, there were 105 museums in India. By the recommendation of Markham

and Hargreaves, in 1946 all the museums under the Archaeological Survey of India
were brought under the control of the Museum Branch of the Archaeological Survey
of India.

ˆ about 700 museums in India.

0.4 MUSEUM ARCHITECTURE

ˆ Chitrasalas, Chitrasabhas, Mandapas etc., in the olden days were considered as
common meeting places. Even-though they were not acting as museums but were
used as very important centres to preserve the art and culture.

ˆ The architecture of the building should be based on the type of objects available,
the future development, easy for the reach of the public, transportation facilities
etc.

ˆ The building architecture should be based on the number of visitors, number of

staff of the museum and the changing trend in the future.

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 0.4 MUSEUM ARCHITECTURE

ˆ Since the visitors’ facilities should be given importance, it should be kept in mind
that provisions should be made for the future facilities to be provided.

ˆ It is always better to have a co-ordinated building in order to have better security

and for the easy access for the visitors and staff.

omponents of a Good Building for a Museum

ˆ Wall

ˆ Floor

ˆ Ceiling,

ˆ Ventilation

ˆ Doors and Windows

ˆ Seating Arrangements

ˆ Security Arrangements

ˆ Lighting Direction of the Building Public Area

ˆ Relief Area

ˆ Support Services Area

0.4.1 Types of Museum

– National Museums
– Regional Museums
– State Museums
– District Museums
– Site Museums

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 – Local Authority Museums
– University Museums
– College and School Museums
– Trustee Museums
– Museums of Business Organisations.
ational Museum National museum represents the artistic and cultural
heritage of a country. he government of the country is directly or indirectly
responsible for its finances and administration. It is essential that the national
museums have foreign materials in their collection for the purpose of a compara-
tive study of the art and cultures of different people in the world.
Among the 2500 museums 19 are national museums in the UK

National Art Gallery, (London),

the Louvre Museum (Paris),
the National Gallery (Washington)
India there are 9 National museums. National Museum, New Delhi;
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi;
National Museum of Natural History, New Delhi;
National Science Centre, New Delhi;
Indian Museum, Kolkata;
Chatrapati Sivaji Museum (Prince of Wales Museum), Mumbai;
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad;
Museum of Man, Bhopal; Allahabad Museum, Allahabad.
Indian Museum, Kolkata and Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad have Boards of
Trustees to administer the museums.
A representative from the department of culture is included in the Board of
Trustees. Allahabad Museum, Allahabad was previously a Corporation Museum
and is now a national museum funded and run by the Government of India. It is
also has a Board of Trustees.

0.4.2 Provincial/Regional Museums

ˆ State Museums

ˆ District Museums

ˆ Site Museums

ˆ Local Authority Museums

ˆ University Museums

ˆ College Museums

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 0.4 MUSEUM ARCHITECTURE

ˆ School Museums

ˆ Private Museums
There are museums established to aid teaching and research in the universities.
Since the universities run them they are termed as university museums. These
museums are financed and administered by the universities. These museums are
meant for scholars and students and are specialists in character and are generally
not open to general public but are available on request.

ˆ The University of Pisa established a museum in 1543.

ˆ The Laden University started a museum in 1575. In this university museum gallery
guides were appointed for the first time.

ˆ The Oxford Ashmolean Museum, the Cambridge Fitz William Museum,

ˆ the Museum of the University of Michigan,

ˆ the Museum of Natural History, Paris are some of the University Museums in
abroad.

ˆ Asutosh Museum of Indian Art of the University of Kolkata,

ˆ Zoological Museum of the Annamalai University are some of the museums in Indian
universities.

ˆ In 1919, Mr. Roy Krishnadoss at Varanasi established the Bharath Kala Bhavan
in the Banarus Hindu University.
At present there are many university museums, which are supplementing university
education. These university museums are at times helped by the Government of
India through the grant-in-aid constituted by the department of culture. At present
almost all universities have at least one museum in any one of the faculties.

0.4.3 Subject-wise Museums

ˆ Anthropological Museums
Anthropology is the study of man. It can be classified as physical and social
anthropology.

ˆ Ethnology is also a branch of anthropology. Objects related to the study of man

are collected in museums and these museums are called anthropological museums.
Since the collections are mainly relevant to anthropology, they are considered to
be called as anthropological museums. E.g. Museum of Mankind, Bhopal; Ethno-
graphic Museum of the Cultural Research Institute, Kolkata.

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 ˆ Archaeological Museums
Archaeology is the study of the ancient past through the material evidence. During
the time of Lord Curzon, Sir John Marshal was the Director of Archaeology. He
established many archaeological museums in various parts of India. Archaeologi-
cal objects are housed in many museums. There are museums devoted to only the
archaeological objects. The museums attached to the State Archaeology Depart-
ments and the Archaeological Survey of India are mainly archaeological museums.
E.g. Archaeological Museum, Budh Gaya; Archaeological Museum, Nalanda; Ar-
chaeological Site Museum at Ponneri, Tamilnadu.

ˆ Art Museums
Many museums are devoted to only art. Viz. Classical, contemporary arts. Mainly
the art museums were developed by the princely States in India. There are many
museums devoted for art in the UK. E.g. Tate Gallery; National Gallery, National
Picture Gallery, London. In India too, there are many galleries devoted to art. The
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi is exclusively devoted to art in India.
The Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata is also completely devoted to art. In the
European and American museums a great measure of realism is sometimes achieved
as in the Philadelphia Museum of Art where the interior of an Indian temple and
a Mandapa of the Nayak period from Madurai in India are reconstructed in actual
size. In the Horniman Museum, London a village life in an Andhra village in India
was depicted in live condition in a remarkably realistic way.

ˆ Children’s Museums Children’s Museums are devoted only for the children to
visit and enjoy the objects by interaction with the objects. These museums are hav-
ing mostly interactive exhibits. E.g. Dolls Museum, New Delhi; Bal Bhavan,
New Delhi; Nehru Children’s Museum, Kolkata; Children’s Museum,
Chennai. In Chennai the children are allowed to the Children’s Mu-
seum free of charges. It has now set up a science park attached to the museum.
Government of Tamil Nadu is now opening Bal Bhavans in districts for the benefits
of children. Some important Children’s Museums in India are:

ˆ Shri Kirdharbhai Sangrahalaya, Amreli-364 601.

ˆ Children’s Museum, Bhavnagar-364 001.

ˆ Children’s Museum, Lucknow.

ˆ Nehru Children’s Museum, Kolkata-700 020.

ˆ National Children’s Museum, New Delhi-lIO 002.

ˆ Commercial Museums Commercial establishments are interested to display their

products in museums in order to popularise their products. Industries too do
the same. They are either called as commercial or industrial museums. E.g.
Commercial and Industrial Museum, Chanter. Nowadays many organisations run
their commercial establishments in the name of museums.

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 0.4 MUSEUM ARCHITECTURE

ˆ There are industrial institutions, which have started their own museums to pop-
ularise their products. E.g. Giri Museum, Chennai is an institution, which hires
out furniture.

ˆ Commercial and Industrial Museum, Kanpur; Government Industrial and Com-

mercial Museum, Kolkata are some of the examples of private museums. Many
Art Galleries have sprung up to sell the art pieces while displaying them for public
view.

ˆ Crafts Museums There are many organisations, which patronise crafts. They
collect objects pertaining to the craft. These museums are educating the mass that
involves in this profession besides an educational museum to the public. In India
Crafts Museums are now-a-days getting importance. The dying crafts are revived
and preserved in such museums. E.g. Crafts Museum, New Delhi; Dhakshina
Chitra, Chennai. Cholamandal Artists’ Village in Chennai is encouraging the
artists to make the art vibrant. Crafts Museum: Art in Industry Mission, Kolkata
is another commercial museum in India.

ˆ Educational Museums All the museums have the educational utility. But, some
museums have been established exclusively for a particular group in the society.
There are museums exclusively for school children, college students, specialists etc.
E.g. Government Educational Museurnn, Etawah; Geological Museurnn, Lucknow.
All the museurnns in the schools, colleges, universities are educational museurnns.

ˆ Folklore Museums Folklore is the study of the beliefs, tales etc., of the people.
Organisations, which deal with the folklore, have established museums and they are
called folklore museums. The Museum of Mankind, a part of the British Museum
in London, is a big folklore museum. E.g. Museum of Mankind, Bhopal; Folklore
Museurm, Mysore.

ˆ Fort Museums India is known for its forts. The forts of India are proclaiming the
art, architecture, culture etc., of the time at which they were constructed. With
the idea of preserving the fort, museums are established inside the forts. They are
called as fort museums. E.g. Red Fort Museum, New Delhi.

ˆ Historical Museums
All the museums dealing with the past convey the history of the past. But, there
are specific museums just to portray the historical events of the past and are known
as historical museums. E.g. Maratha History Museurnn, Pune; The Asiatic Society
Museum, Kolkata.

ˆ Multi-subject Museums Museums are becoming multi-subject or multi-disciplinary.

Art museums are introducing science facets in them. The Australian Museum, Syd-
ney, Australia has brought in science in the art museum. Most of the museums are
having many facets like archaeology, anthropology, art, natural history, technology
etc. They are generally termed as multipurpose museums. E.g. Indian Museum,

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 Kolkata; Government Museum, Chennai; State Museum, Lucknow, Government
Museurnn and Art Gallery, Chandigarh.

ˆ Natural History Museums Geology, botany and zoology are the various natural
history sciences. There are museums of geology, botany and zoology. Also, there
are museums consisting specimens of geology, botany and zoology along with other
specimens. They are generally termed as natural history museums. There is a
marked emphasis on the exhibits of the conceptual and thematic type although
immense dioramas and habitat groups with panoramic painted
National Museum of Natural History New Delhi

ˆ Personalia Museums Kinds of Museums backgrounds and realistically modelled

foregrounds still mark a dominant feature of the ecological displays in many large
natural history museums of the world such as the American Museum of Natural
History, New York; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; and Alexander
Konig Museum at Bonn in West Germany. E.g. National Museum of Natural His-
tory, New Delhi; Natural History Museum, Trivandrum. The National Museum
of Natural History, New Delhi has established branch museums in Bhubaneswar,
Bhopal and Mysore. People want to honour their own leaders even after their
death.
item Lenin’s body has been preserved even today. In London, there is a museum
called Dickens House Museum with his collection. India is not excluded from this.
Museums are established for personalities. They are called personalia mu-
seums. There are over 30 personalia museums in India.

ˆ There are 7 museums only for Gandhiji. E.g. Gandhi Memorial Museum,
Madurai; Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. Art Gallery
and Krishnamenon Museum, Calicut; Tagore Museum, Kolkata; Srinivasan Math
Museum, Chennai. Memorials have been established in memory of great person-
alities in Tamil Nadu.

ˆ Science Museums In around 3rd Century AD, ptolemy’s collection in Alexandria

was the first science museum collection. Nowadays science museum are getting
popular. Museums are trying to introduce science wings in art museums. Scientific
facts are introduced through objects. In London, there is a museum exclusively
for science called Science Museum.

ˆ The Industrialist Birla established the first Science Museum. The Australian Mu-
seum has introduced science wing.

ˆ The Science Museum at Delhi is one of the best Science Museums in India. The
Visveswaraya Technological Museum at Bangalore is a famous science and techno-
logical museum. E.g. Forensic Medicine Museum, Lucknow; Periyar Science and
Technology Museum, Chennai.

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 0.4 MUSEUM ARCHITECTURE

ˆ Site Museums Archaeology departments do excavations and the materials ex-

cavated are displayed for the public view of the locality in museums in the site.
They are called site museums. The idea is that the people of the locality should
know their history very well. These museums are generally archaeological muse-
ums. Since, they are established at the sites where from the objects were collected
or excavated they are called the site museums. Some of the museums are open-air
museums. In Tamil Nadu such museums are named as Archaeological Repositories.
E.g. Archaeological Museum, Amaravati; Site Museum, Poompuhar.

ˆ Specialised Museums Museums are existing all over the world on specialised themes.
Museums specialised for transport are called transport museums. Museums spe-
cialised on dolls are called dolls museums. Museums specialised on leather are
called leather museums. Museums specialising on health are called health muse-
ums. Museums specialising on forests are called forest museums. E.g. International
Dolls Museum, New Delhi; Rail Transport Museum, New Delhi; Leather Museum,
Chennai; Health Museum, Hyderabad; Calico Museum, Ahmadabad; Gems and
Jewellery museum, New Delhi; Philatelic Museum, New Delhi, Toilet Museum,
New Delhi, Coins Museum, Pune.

ˆ Technological Museums Museums are established to educate students and general

public on technology. There are museums coming up in all parts of our country on
science and technology. E.g. Visvesvarayya Industrial and Technological Museum,
Bangalore; Periyar Science and Technology Museum, Chennai. Nowadays the
National Council for Science Museums (NCSM). are opening Science Centres in
important cities and district head quartaers.

ˆ Temple Museums I Church Museums In the earlier days temples were considered
as museums. There are· many antiquities of the temple.

ˆ Now there is a trend to start museums in temples. The temple antiquities are
displayed in museums organised by the temples for the benefit of the public. Even
though these museums are not popular, slowly the idea is coming up to estab-
lish temple museums. E.g. Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar; Sri Meenakshi Sun-
dareswarar Temple Art Museum,

ˆ Madurai, Temple Museum, Srirangam, Thirupati Tirumalai Devasthanam, Tiru-

pati, Department of Tibetology, Gangtok. These museums charge entry fee from
the devotees into these museums. These museums attract a lot of tourists to them.
Many church museums are also exist in India.

ˆ Tribal Museums Modernisation is coming up at all walks of life. The traditions

are slowly forgotten. The modern life is penetrating even among the tribal people
living in the hill areas. Many governmental and non-governmental organisations
are interested in the preservation of tribal culture. There are many museums
specialising on tribal culture, art etc. They are called tribal museums. E.g. Tribal
Museum, Uthagamandalam; Tribal Museum, New Delhi.

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 ˆ Eco-museums Eco-museums were designed to preserve economic viability and in-
cluded facilities to document the areas’ histories and for community meetings.
These neighborhood museums gained popularity in the 1960s as agents of change
that linked education, culture and community development. The Eco-museum con-
cept goes beyond the traditional museum idea of collecting objects to establishing
condition for communities to learn about themselves. It builds on
the foundation of the community’s collective memory and extends to the docu-
mentation of physical sites, traditional ceremonies, and social relationships.

ˆ An eco-museum recognises the importance of culture in the development of self-

identity and its role in helping a community adjust to rapid change. The eco-
museum thus becomes a tool for the economic, social and political growth and
development of the Society from which it springs.

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