Seminar
Discussion on New Museum Law Concluded
A discussion program focusing on the existing museum law, the legal framework for museum operations and management in Nepal; was jointly organized by ICOM Nepal National Committee and Narayanhiti Palace Museum on 4th January 2025 at Kathmandu. The event was participated by over 40 museum professionals, who were representatives of various museums of Nepal; including universities, government, community, and private museums, as well as museum experts, and other stakeholders.
Participants expressed concerns over the lack of clarity in existing laws regarding museum establishment, operation and management in Nepal, which has resulted to numerous challenges in legal sectors for the beginning of museum’s registration to its development later. There was a collective consensus on the urgent need to formulate a separate law for pertaining to museums in Nepal.
Dr. Suresh Suras Shrestha, Executive Director of the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, delivered an insightful presentation on “Museum Operation and Management: Existing Nepali Law”, highlighting the unique conditions and establishment for museums over time. He pointed out that prior to 1990, there were no specific legal provisions governing museums; their establishment relied solely on directives from the state authorities. Post-1990, several legal frameworks emerged under which various museums are established. But we need to discuss to develop appropriate legal instrument to integrate these different museums.
The discussion included valuable inputs from notable individuals such as Dr. Mahesh Acharya, Head of the Central Department of Nepalese History, Culture, and Archaeology at Tribhuvan University; former Head of the Department Dr. Som Khatiwada; Roshan Mishra from Taragaon Next; Sandeep Khanal from the National Archives; and Kaji Pakurel, Executive Director of Hanuman Dhoka Museum, Ramesh Dawadi, Chair of ICOM Nepal, Jayanti Pradhan, Chief of National Art Museum and other participants.
The participants urged to provision of a regulatory body responsible for evaluating, monitoring, and setting standards for museums in new museum law. They also suggested to categorize the museums with specific standards based on their classification and support them accordingly.
Mr. Ramesh Prasad Dawadi, Chair of ICOM Nepal, also stated with emphasizing the urgent need for reformation existing legal provisions and developing a comprehensive new law to address the challenges faced by museums in Nepal currently. He stressed that the proposed legislation should prioritize preservation of unique museum objects, ensure the collection protection, and promote sustainability. The program was concluded with the promising statement to discuss.