A short history of the National Museum
By Arlene Munro
Stabroek News
February 26, 2004
February 13, 2004 marked the 136th anniversary of the establishment of the National Museum. The institution was established in 1868. The idea of starting a museum was conceived by members of the Royal Agricultural and Commer-cial Society (RACS) of British Guiana. When this Society was established in 1844, one of its aims was to construct a Museum which would house local minerals, soils, timbers, fruits, seeds, gums, resins, dyes and drugs as well as the flora and fauna of this country.
Mr Robert Schomburgk, Mr C F Appun, Mr Bratt, and Mr W H Campbell presented gifts to the Royal Agricultural Commercial Society in order to start a Museum Collection. The gifts included 55 indigenous woods, minerals from England, and specimens of botany and geology.
In 1861, a Natural History Society was founded which suggested the construction of a Museum on Company Path, but no steps were taken to accomplish this.
Unfortunately, a fire in 1864 destroyed the collections which had been donated. This mishap served to motivate the RACS to establish a proper museum. Another contributory factor was the need for a building to house local exhibitions of Guiana's products. Therefore, a British Guiana Museum Company was established in 1867 for the construction of a building "which should be the permanent home of science, art, and industry." This project received great financial support from the public and the new museum was opened on February 13, 1868. The Colonist newspaper of that date described it as a "magnificent structure." It covered the inauguration of the new Museum on Company Path and described the local exhibition, which was launched within its walls to mark the auspicious event. Subsequent-ly, the RACS assumed responsibility for the Museum after it floundered financially.
The first curator of the museum was Dr H Witlock, the Medical Officer of Health. He was succeeded by Mr Fresson. Mr Everard Im Thurn was later appointed by the government in 1877. He was a qualified curator who travelled to the interior in search of specimens of ethnology and other exhibits for the Museum. When the RACS launched the Timehri Journal, Mr Im Thurn served as its editor.
Other curators who made a noteworthy contribution to the museum were Mr John Quelch, Mr James Rodway and Dr Walter Roth. During the terms of these curators mineralogical, geological and ethnological collections were donated to the museum. Ethnological exhibits pertaining to the Amerindian were improved.
In 1934 the Georgetown Public Free Library received a second storey which was used to house the Museum collections. This was made possible thought grants from the Carnegie Corporation.
The government assumed responsibility for the RACS Museum in 1936, it was renamed the British Guiana Museum and was administered by the Georgetown Public Free Library Committee. Mr P Storer Peberdy became the new curator in that year. During his administration the Economic, Anthropological and Historical Section was opened in the upper flat of the Public Free Library on February 19, 1937. The Director of Education and the Curator arranged for public lectures to be given in the Museum. Mr Peberdy travelled into the interior and obtained material which was added to the British Guiana Museum collection. He was succeeded by Mr Vincent Roth in 1943.
On February 23, 1945 there was a conflagration at the Bookers Drug Store opposite the British Guiana Museum. The fire spread to the Natural History Section of the Museum and the RACS Reading Rooms and Library. Fortunately, the Public Free Library was not affected by the fire and therefore, the ethnological collection was spared. After the fire, Lot 53 Main Street was used as a taxidermy laboratory for the reconstruction of natural history exhibits.
The governor, Sir Gordon Lethem, met with government officials on March 16, 1945 to propose the construction of a cultural centre on the site of the British Guiana Museum which had been destroyed. The building would house the RACS Reading Rooms, the British Guiana Museum and an auditorium for dramatic presentations. It was recommended that a request be made for funding from the Colonial Development and Welfare Commission. Sub-sequently, the RACS began construction of the new Library and Reading Rooms.
The colonial government voted sums of money for the education of Mr Ram Singh, the museum's taxidermist.
In 1946 Mr Singh travelled to the United States where he studied taxidermy, botany, anthropology and zoology. He returned to British Guiana in 1947.
Before his departure the taxidermy laboratory was removed in 1946 from Main Street to the former Cummingsburg market. During the following years a temporary National History Museum was established and opened in 1949.
As patrons increased, it became necessary for the Public Free Library to occupy the upper flat which housed the Museum collections. With the approval of the Committee of the Public Free Library and the RACS, the RACS building was enlarged to accommodate the British Guiana Museum, including the collections housed at the Public Free library and at the Cummingsburg market. It was decided that the government and the RACS would bear the cost of this extension. In July 1950, the RACS Museum Committee assumed responsibility of this British Guiana Museum and the Public Free Library relinquished control.
The new museum building was reopened on July 28, 1951 by His Excellency, the Officer Admin-istering the Government, the Hon John Gutch. The Museum contiues to thrive under the capable leadership of Ms Softleigh, the present curator.
The National Museum Committee is attempting to draft a new policy for museums and to modernise and upgrade the present museum. It is hoped that the proposals will meet the approval of the Ministry of Culture and will receive funding. It is time for the National Museum to move into the twenty-first century.