Supporting Sections
Supporting Sections are divided into 6 sections, lead by curator and head of sections as follows:
1. Administration
The role of the section mainly administrative, serves as a communication centre dealing with sections in the Museums Department.
2. Brunei National Archives
This section holds the responsibility of the administration and management of the National Archives in accordance to the National Archives Act, 1975 revised 1991. The purpose of this section is to monitor, to collect, to preserve and to keep public records and archival materials as the national heritage and to provide information reference services.
3. Brunei Museum's Library
The Brunei Museum Library was established in 1965. The main function of the library is to provide information and reference services mainly to Brunei Museums staffs as well as other researchers from government and private sectors, students and individuals.
The library section is also act as a Legal Depository Library which is responsible for the implementation of the Preservation of the Book Act 1967. The purpose of the act is to make provision relating to the deposit and preservation copies of printed materials and which is published in Brunei and for Brunei Darussalam for permanent collection, references and national heritage. The act required publisher (of any government organizations, private sectors and individuals) of every book published in Brunei shall within one month after publications to Director of Brunei Museums.
4. Exhibition and Technical Services
This section is responsible in providing technical services such as to set-up or to prepare an exhibition either for local and overseas organizations.
5. Education Services
This section organizes guided tours to galleries for students and visitors upon request. It also organizes and conducts lectures on museology and other related subjects.
6. Conservation
As an integral part of the Brunei Museum, The Conservation Section is shouldered with the responsibility to restore and preserve the authenticity and integrity of national heritage consisting of tangible cultural material such as documents, ethnographic materials, archaeological artifacts & relics and, fauna & flora collections of Brunei Museums. These are achieved with standard scientific methods and procedures by qualified and certified personnel.
The growth and expansion of Brunei Museum over the past years witnessed a corresponding growth in the demand for conservation services. This has however necessitated for the core business to be more focused and streamlined into five thrust areas, namely: Paper Conservation & Book Binding, Organic & Textiles, Inorganic & Archaeological, Taxidermy and Scientific Research.
In an effort to manage the thrust areas, units have been formed with specific tasks and responsibilities, which are as follows:
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The Paper Conservation and Book Binding Unit was formed in 1979 with the responsibility in ensuring an effective conservation and restoration of documents, records, books and journal collections of the Archives and Reference Library of Brunei Museum;
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In 1981, The Conservation of Cultural Material Unit was formed specifically to ensure ethnographic collections such as basketry, items made of wood, textiles and inorganic materials such as ceramic, metals and glass are in proper care. In 1997, the Unit morphed into two more specialized entities, namely: Organic & Textile Unit and Inorganic & Archaeological Unit.
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In 2004, the Section was further strengthened with the assimilation of the Taxidermy Unit which is responsible in managing and ensuring a high standard of conservation and care of the collections of fauna and flora; and
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In January 2005, The Scientific Research Unit was established with a clear mission to conduct various scientific research and studies. Through these research and studies, standard practices on methodologies, procedures and processes will be developed within the conservation, restoration and preservation framework.
In order to ensure a high competency level of conservation practitioners, The Conservation Section, since its conception in 1983, has been involved in conducting various relevant training and development activities. These programs are not just for staff from the Section itself, but are also involving personnel from other Sections within the Brunei Museum and other relevant Government Departments. These include a series of conservation related workshops and seminars in collaboration with Brunei Museum strategic partners, regional and international organizations.
In 1983, a Workshop on Conservation of Various Cultural Materials was conducted with a consultant from British Museum while in February 1989 a four week workshop on the same theme was jointly conducted by ASEAN Committee on Cultural Information (COCI) and UNDP with a consultant from UNESCO.
In 1988 a Workshop on Uses of Bamboo was held. Brunei Museum through the Conservation Section had the opportunity and privilege of having the consultative service of a Senior Restoration Officer from Horniman Museum in London when a Textile Restoration Workshop was jointly organized by the British Council.
In its further quest for excellence, the Conservation Section recognizes its human resources as pivotal to the realization of required service transformation thus the need to enhance and equip them with the right knowledge and tools. To this end the officers and staff of the Section have attended various professional trainings and work placement programs at established institution |
