Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 18 (EMN): International Museum Day is being celebrated in the state with special focus on school students for four days starting on Wednesday.
As part of the celebration, Nagaland State Museum under the Department of Art and Culture is celebrating the event with free entry for all visitors from May 18 to the 21st.
Guide lecturer, Talitemjen, told Eastern Mirror that schools were especially invited to visit the museum during those days.
“Considering the fact that there are traditional and cultural studies in Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), we thought it would be beneficial for students in particular and had extended the invitation,” he said.
A total of five schools, mostly from class 8 and above, have confirmed to visit the museum on alternate days. Two schools visited on Wednesday.
‘In these four days, we won’t be charging any fee against the usual entry fee of INR 10 per visitor and INR 50 with camera,’ he informed.
The celebration was extended to four days with the hope that more visitors would turn up and take advantage of the free entry while also learning about the cultures and traditions of different tribes in the state.
“If the celebration is just one day, people won’t have options but if it is open for three/four days, more people can come and learn about Naga culture,” he added.
He informed that the celebration was a first of its kind for two reasons—Nagaland State Museum celebrating IMD in a decade and free entry to visitors besides during the Hornbill Festival.
Sharing about the challenges faced, he said that the museum is understaffed and maintenance becomes difficult. A total of six staff look after the state museum.
“The museum is also faced with financial and fund constraints because of this, it is difficult to upgrade the museum to international standards. But despite those hurdles, we try to make it as dynamic as possible while also expanding galleries,” he said.
He further informed that a new gallery exclusive for ‘art and archeology’ in collaboration with the department of History and Archeology is in the process and added that the arrangements are going on and would be opened to the public once it is done.