A school of museology is shortly to be established in Egypt as part of the ongoing development of the country's museums, Nevine El-Aref reports Over the past decade the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), now the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA), has been carrying out a project to create a world- class museum system in Egypt that will properly exhibit and maintain the country's priceless artefacts, which are currently contributing to the overstaffing of the nation's museums. The past few years have witnessed the inauguration of several new regional and national museums and the reopening of few others after restoration and development to bring them up to international standards and to match their counterparts abroad. The museums initiative also aims at transforming Egypt's museums into huge educational institutions that will teach visitors to be aware of the importance of preserving their shared cultural and historical heritage. To help gear them towards achieving the best possible cultural, educational and institutional standards, Egyptian museums are divided into four main categories: regional, specialty, on-site and non-pharaonic museums. Separate from these are the three main Cairo museums: the Grand Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. So what of the museums' curators? Are they up to scratch with the job? "Of course, the creation of a new world- class museum system requires not only extensive training programmes for current museum personnel, but also the employment of new and well-educated museum professionals," Ramadan Badri Hussein, supervisor of the office of MSAA's minister for archaeological affairs, told Al-Ahram Weekly. Hussein continued that it had become apparent to the MSAA that much attention should be given to the human element of the new Egyptian museums system, particularly after the noticeable deterioration in the administration of the recently renovated and upgraded Coptic Museum, a setback that forced the SCA to appoint a German-Egyptian museologist to help run the Coptic Museum. Among the concerns of the MSA, Hussein pointed out, was the limited contribution of its museums personnel in the creation and curatorship of the recent local exhibitions, which were mostly planned and executed by foreign museologists. "Concerns also include the personnel's ability to offer initiatives for the management of the collections under their custody, the update of the register books and labels, or other curatorial matters." "The lack of trained museum personnel is indeed the overarching problem on Egypt's path towards the creation of a new effective museum system," Hussein said. One reason for this problem is the fact that classes on museology and preservation of cultural heritage are rarely included in the curricula of Egyptian universities. In an effort to develop the skills of Egyptian curators, the MSA is to establish the first-ever Institute for Museology in the country. As a short-term plan until the establishment of such a school, Hussein said, the MSA, in collaboration with the American Research Centre in Cairo (ARCE) and other international institutions, is designing training programmes in museums, administration, curation, exhibition, registration, creation of databases and facility management. The school aims at training curators in recent technologies used in museums to create better displays, restoration and museological education. The study in the institute will last for two years, and its curriculum will be created to meet the accreditation requirement set by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education two years after the school's foundation. This will allow the school to offer MA and PhD programmes in museum studies and heritage management. Zahi Hawass, minister of state at the MSA, said that the project would be set up using a $5 million grant from USAID provided through the Ministry of International Cooperation (MIC). The School of Museology will seek professional collaboration with international museum organisations such as the American Association of Museums, the International Council of Museums' Committee for Egyptology (ICOM) and other organisations in order to develop curricula and training programmes modelled on international standards of museum practices. In addition, the MSA will recruit foreign and Egyptian professionals to help in the school's teaching and training programmes. Hussein pointed out that the MSA was intent on establishing multi-nationalism as the defining character of the new school. This would be implemented through contacting American museums, with some of which it had already established effective collaboration. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum, Berkeley Museum and the American Museum of Natural History. These establishments are invited to send their nominations for an American expert to fill the position of assistant director of the school, who will assist in the operational phase. Hussein says the school will admit trainees and students from the MSA's current museum staff as well as those who are seeking jobs in Egyptian museums. The Casdagli Palace in Downtown Cairo has already been chosen as the home of the new Institute. The villa is only a few metres away from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and a short drive from the Coptic Museum, the Islamic Museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. "The central location of the villa will facilitate the students' journeys between the school and these museums for onsite training," Hussein said. He continued that owing to the urgency of Egypt's need for trained museum personnel, the MSA would begin its training programme as soon as possible after funds were made available. While the Casdagli Palace is being renovated, use will be made of the ministry's own facilities at its headquarters in Zamalek. Hussein says that the school will run a theoretical and practical training programme for the first two years, and will admit 60 students of the MSA museum personnel per year. Once the school moves to its home at Casdagli, the MSA will review the school's programmes and will search the qualifications and standards set by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education for accreditation. It will offer a museology and heritage management programme, as well as a PhD programme in museology and an internship programme for Egyptian and international students.
