50th Golden Jubilee a milestone for Sabah State Museum
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah State Museum will be throwing a grand Golden Jubilee celebration marking its 50th anniversary, packed with a host of exciting events and attractions lined up throughout 2015 for all to enjoy.
“We are most delighted to announce the Sabah State Museum’s 50th Golden Jubilee Celebration, marking this momentous milestone with a galore of exciting events to headline our 50th anniversary which culminates with the official launching on July 25 by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Hj Aman,” said State Museum Director Joanna Kitingan.
During the press conference yesterday, she said the four-month celebration commemorates the museum’s 50th year milestone with a range of exhibitions set to chronicle the state’s development, cultural heritage and previous leaders through images, artifacts and stories.
“This will be a memorable celebration befitting of the theme ‘The story of us all’. Everyone is most welcomed to join in the programmes and festivities in store for our Golden Jubilee Celebration, the museum belongs to everyone; it tells all our stories,” she said.
There will also be a special book launching of the first volume of the “Diaries of George C. Woolley” which chronicles G.C Wooleys’ first tour of duty in British North Borneo from 1901 -1932, whose works, writings and contributions provided a key foundation to the Museum’s early collections of artifacts, photographs and appropriate annotations.
The book, which is edited by Professor Dr. Danny Wong and State Museum Head of Corporate Services Section, Stella Moo-Tan will be launched by Cultural, Tourism and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun on July 15 at 9:00am, at G.C Wooley Hall.
A number of opening festivities are planned for the 50th anniversary, including the Crafts Exotica festival from July 1-July 26 celebrating Sabah’s ethnic art and craft, which will take place at key state museum locations across the state.
“ Leading up to our grand jubilee celebration, the state wide Crafts Exotica carnival will be held at the State Museum’s Kampung Warisan, Agnes Keith House in Sandakan, The Agop Batu Tulug Museum, Kinabatangan, Keningau Warisan Museum, and Galeria Kubu Mat Sator and Kampung Kapayan Baru in Tambunan,” said Joanna.
The 3 week-long cultural carnival will showcase a vibrant display and live demonstration of indigenous crafts, including textile production, traditional clothing, weaving and embroidery.
Among the main highlights of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Joanna noted the museum will also be hosting a Golden Jubilee Historical Walkathon which takes visitors on an educational tour around the museum and historical landmarks in the city.
“The walkathon is scheduled to begin as early as 7:00am which begins from the State Museum’s taking on a 4 km route, crossing ST. Francis School, walking along Tunku Abdul Rahman road before heading back to the Sabah Museum,” she said.
Furthermore, Joanna highlighted the museum’s grand golden celebration will take place in the main building of the State Museum where it will host a range of exhibitions covering the history of the museum, the works and contribution by museum staff since its founding on July 15, 1965 until the present day.
“Since the establishment of the State Museum in 1965, there is an immense amount of work involved in organising exhibitions, preservation of artifacts, research and documentation of priceless heritage, which will be displayed for visitors,” she said.
Among others, Joanna said the State Museum will also be hosting a Museum Seminar, with the theme “The Museum And Sabah’s Heritage” which gathers researchers, curators, university experts from local and national universities, including University Malaysia Sabah(UMS) and University Malaya . The seminar which takes place from July 28-30 also features guest speakers from the National Museum, Sarawak Museum, as well as international speakers from the Philippines and Japan.
“The museum will also be organising a special exhibition chronicling “Women in History” from August 28-Dec 28 which spotlights women’s rights and development throughout history, and also a Borneo Beads Carnival from 7-11 Oct,”she said, adding everyone is welcome to participate in the State Museum’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Source: New Sabah Times
