Training sheds light on best practices for heritage museum

AMMAN — What is the purpose of a heritage museum? How can museums both protect fragile artifacts and historical materials, and put them on display for the world to see? These were questions raised during a week-long training that was recently held at the Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art and Restoration, according to a US Agency for International Development (USAID) statement on Sunday. 

The training, titled “Local and Historical Awareness for Heritage Museum Planning”, was organised by the USAID Sustainable Local Heritage Through Engaging Local Communities Project (SCHEP) as part of the Madaba Regional Archaeological Museum Project, which aims to establish a museum in the area in the next four to five years.

According to the statement, the SCHEP project is funded by USAID and implemented by ACOR (the American Centre of Oriental Research).

Valeria Gasperi, an Italian architect and specialist in the preservation of architectural heritage, led the training and introduced key concepts and best practices for designing museums that accurately and respectfully reflect their local contexts, according to the statement. The 16 participants represented institutions from across the country, including the Petra Museum, the Madaba Museum, the Aqaba Heritage Museum and the Wadi Rum Protected Area. 

This training “added another layer of cultural heritage sustainability to our efforts to establish a state-of-the-art regional archaeology museum in Madaba”, Douglas Clark, an American professor and co-director of the Madaba Regional Archaeological Museum Project, was quoted in the statement as saying.

Set to continue through 2022, the project supports local heritage-based microenterprises, raises awareness and appreciation of Jordan’s heritage throughout the Kingdom, and builds the capacities of Jordanian heritage institutions, read the statement.