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Museums belong to the community and without the involvement and pride of the community museums flounder. The Natural History Museum of Bulawayo is most certainly one of the best in Southern Africa and showcases the rich diversity of our flora and fauna and our cultural heritage and is certainly something that the citizens of Bulawayo can be immensely proud of.
Many books, publications, articles and research notes have been produced from the curators working tirelessly behind the scenes at our museum. The contribution to the overall knowledge and understanding of our heritage made by these curators is enormous. With very limited resource now available to these natural scientists and historians the research taking place has declined. As this will have a long term effect on conservation and management of our heritage it is now time for the citizens of our community to become involved and assist where possible.
The Friends of the Museum is a loose association of volunteers and supporters who have an affinity for our natural and cultural heritage and enjoy the information presented at museums, and would like to help in which ever way they can to preserve our heritage for future generations. Those who contribute in any way to the support of museums, to their development, and to their public presence and influence are called Friends of Museums. They act on a voluntary and non-remunerative basis. Their support is moral, financial, or consists of voluntary work or expertise. Benefactors, donors, volunteers, museum board members, and members of museums are all considered friends of museums. Elsewhere in the world Friends of Museums make enormous contributions to their museums.
Friends also act as a bridge between community interests and museum professionals, to encourage the formation of young friends groups to stimulate the interest of young people in their museums and their natural and cultural heritage. Friends also help to disseminate information through newsletters, lectures, conferences and special events and to raise funds to support the projects of the museum. Because the Natural History Museum of Bulawayo covers such a diverse range of subjects it caters for the general interest of most people and there is something for everyone.
Friends of the Museum exclude no-one and include people from all walks of life such as collectors and amateurs of the arts, history and the sciences, as well as teachers, doctors, professionals, artists, housewives, architects, retired people and students, who all shared the same aim to help museums and to promote their activities.
Friends bring to museums their support, their knowledge, their experience and their competence. In so doing, they contribute to the advancement both of museums and of museology. But the work of friends’ asociations often transcends this important public service function by reaching into the heart of the museum – its collections. Through fund-raising and promotion campaigns, fiends can contribute to restoring and acquiring important works, and devote time to compiling inventories and catalogues.
During these economic difficulties, Friends of the Museum can bring fresh and innovative ideas to assist with the reality of building repairs, restorations, and maintenance and research costs as they are able to cut through bureaucratic red tape.
The Natural History Museum of Bulawayo launched its Friends of the Museum on Wednesday evening.
Online Reporter