National Museum and Art Gallery

In 2009, the Government declared that 3rd of November, shall be observed in commemoration of the services of carriers and stretcher bearers during World War II.

On Wednesday, the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port Moresby will commemorate International Museum Day (IMD) at the museum with the theme, ‘The Future of the Musuem-Recover & Re-imagine and sub theme of Rewriting & Retelling Stories.

The objective of the IMD is to raise awareness that museums are an important part in preserving local culture with documentation and artifact preservation, a culture can be recorded and remembered regardless of its future.

She is Ethel Dreda Arek, wife of Paulus Arek, the former premier of Ijivitari Open in the Second House of Assembly from 1968-1972.

The Political and Legal Exhibition will showcase the political and legal history of Papua New Guinea from 1948 to 1984 and will be hosted at the Old House of Assembly later this year.

The resources, including photographs, books and press records, are being loaned to the National Museum and Art Gallery for a year and will be returned to the family after the exhibition.

Historians Nancy Simeon and Zenaleze Abage will be accompanied by Principal Curator for Contemporary Arts Department, Hillary Miria, for a ten-day trip.

The three will visit the National Archives and Library in Canberra, working closely with staff in these institutions to collect information, photographs and videos of historic politicians and milestone events relating to the exhibition.

Museum caretaker manager, Alois Kuaso, said the exhibition will showcase the political and legal history of Papua New Guinea from 1948 to 1984.

Deputy President of the National Museum and Art Gallery, Andrew Abel, announced that this was part of the 100 day plan for the Museum.

 The historical building was given to the Museum and will be opened in November 2017, followed by an exhibition that will showcase the political and legal history of the country from 1948 to 1984.

The exhibition will feature photographs, audio and visual displays of historic political leaders and milestone events of our country’s political development.

(House of Assembly, Port Moresby, in 1968 – Picture: Nashos)

The Museum has been working closely with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the PNG Governance Facility to activate part of the Museum’s master plan to cater for APEC.

The National Museum and Art Gallery is one of the few precincts in Port Moresby identified by the APEC Secretariat in 2015 to host the spouses of APEC Leaders.

The litigation – OS 872 - was initiated by the NMAG’s Board of Trustees (BOT) as the main plaintiff against the Culture and Tourism Minister, Tobias Kulang as first defendant, Prime Minister and Chairman of National Executive Council (NEC) as second defendant, Public Service Minister, Sir Puka Temu as third defendant, Personal Management Department Secretary, John Kali as fourth defendant and the Independent State of PNG as fifth defendant. 

OTAC recently moved into the building where the National Cultural Commission (NCC) is housed, located at Tabari Place at Boroko in Port Moresby.

Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Tobias Kulang, said the move has a big advantage as it will cut down on costs for rentals and create a synergy in terms of achieving results.

Kulang said the ministry has been moved to a couple of locations in the last five months so it’s good that it now settles in one location with NCC.

The ‘Friends of the Museum’ is an initiative intended to support and complement the roles and efforts of the Museum to do its work more effectively through community support and engagement.

The initiative was launched by patron Lynda Babao-O’Neill last night at the Museum in Port Moresby with over 20 people who witnessed the event.

Babao said the National Museum has gone through a remarkable transformation over the past few years.

Minister Tkatchenko reaffirmed this at a Press Conference hosted at the National Museum.

"This comes in line with an NEC decision to merge Government Departments that operate hand-in-hand to ensure efficiency and productivity, besides savings that could be better committed to real work for real results," Minister Tkatchenko said.

"The duplication of roles over time has cost the state money, and this will mark the start of a positive journey.