Will our Museum artefacts survive a move?

series of articles on the

Royal Victoria Institute

How often will members of the public, you and I, be able to visit the Royal Victoria Institute (rvi) when that historic building is taken over for administrative offices for NAPA and the National Museum and Art Gallery are moved to Knowsley “sometime towards the end of this year” (to quote the Acting Curator Nimkah Muwaki-Sakuri).

To recap my interview on March 2 — Vel Lewis, former Curator, now Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of (among other, seemingly more important things) Culture assured me that the public would have access to the building by signing up for an Open Day tour of historic, heritage buildings organised by the National Trust.

However, to date there have been no tours since last December, each tour, limited to 100 persons, tends to be oversubscribed, so that there is, in effect, a waiting list. Now to continue that interview …

“Most tours take off from the Museum, Most of the time they are on Sunday,” Lewis said. (I made a mental note that persons belonging to the Evangelical Churches would be in church then — and many other Christians as well).

When I asked for a list of Heritage buildings he said the list was not for public consumption because it has yet to be approved “in a particular way”, but that there were a number of properties, for example the Red House, the Lion House, a whole range of them including President’s House.I said I’d read, and heard, that Pat Bishop and various other people were not too happy about the change of use of the RVI and the move to Knowsley.

“Well, let me tell you I think for the first time in decades it will give us the opportunity to bring the National Museum into the 21st Century,” Lewis said. Then he said something about finance too indistinct for me to transcribe from tape to computer.

This prompted me to enquire why there was no charge for entrance to the Museum (saving, of course, school parties).

“The idea here is to put the governance of the Museum into a particular structure to give it the opportunity to run like an international museum. Pat Bishop pointed out the RVI as it is right now doesn’t give the Museum the opportunity for any expansion or upgrade of its services for conservation and storage,” was the Deputy PS’s reply.

I asked what use will be made of the recently constructed yellow building in the grounds of Knowsley.

“Well we haven’t put down precisely what to do with the space. The tentative proposal so far is to use the historic part of Knowsley for the history exhibits …”

“Including the Natural History exhibits?” I interrupted.

“Quite likely natural history as well.” (I can’t say I was reassured to hear that ambiguous statement.) “The move gives us additional space for modern storage, for improved interactive exhibits. A proper Museum shop, a conservation lab. The modern building will bring the National Museum into the 21st Century.”

I pointed out that people are very concerned about moving fragile exhibits, for instance the collection of Cazabon prints.

“Museum staff is well trained in museums overseas in museum heritage. I’m sure that the museum as a member of the International Council of Museums will have an opportunity to access the latest technology. I’ve already asked the people there to draw up a very detailed plan for the move so that the exhibits aren’t damaged and nothing goes missing,” was Mr Lewis’s reply to my query.

Plans are all very well, but putting them into practice? Well one can but hope, wait and see.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I was still uneasy about the fate of the RVI but put that aside to focus on another aspect of culture — NAPA — but that will have to wait for next time.