Indonesian Culture Minister Urges Museums to Digitize Collections for Better Inventory Management

GENEVA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages museums in Indonesia to strengthen the digitization of historical inventory of collections so that data on the origin, journey, and context of cultural objects is easier to trace. The encouragement was conveyed after Fadli visited the Musée d'ethnographie de Genève or MEG in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, September 17. MEG has digitized the historical inventory register of its collection from 1867 to 1993. According to Fadli, this practice can serve as a reference for the management of museum collection documentation in Indonesia. "Documentation like this is very important to help the public understand the history and journey of each collection," said Fadli. He said that documentation of collections is not only about data storage. This information can also be used for research, development, maintenance, protection, and utilization of collections. Fadli menilai penguatan tata kelola data menjadi bagian penting dalam pengelolaan museum yang berkelanjutan. Digitalization of the inventory can also open access to information regarding the origin and journey of the collection over time. MEG was founded in 1901, while the history of its collection has begun since the early 18th century. The museum also houses collections from Indonesia, including those from Papua, Kalimantan, Java, and a number of other regions in the archipelago. "It is very interesting to see the various collections from many countries and communities in the world, including collections from Indonesia," said Fadli. According to Fadli, the visit also opened opportunities for cooperation with foreign museums in the fields of research, exchange of knowledge, digitization, and protection of cultural heritage. "This visit is part of efforts to strengthen Indonesian cultural diplomacy, build networks with museums around the world, and open up opportunities for collaboration," he said. The Ministry of Culture hopes that the MEG experience can become a reference in the development of a museum collection documentation system in Indonesia. Source: VOI English