Shifting focus: From problems to potential. The better news from museums in India

Abstract

This article is a kind of reflection of a museum professional on the theme of the developing museum network of the Republic of India. The author seeks to find the answer to the question: what should be done to qualitatively renew the country’s museums, transform them in accordance with the latest approaches of world museology? However, instead of focusing on the problems of museum activities, she calls for a rethinking of the future in a positive way, as well as to see the huge potential that museums in India have. Awareness of this potential includes an analysis of the needs of various categories of museum visitors. In addition, the potential of Indian museums is due to the multifaceted national culture, which is reflected in museum collections and museum displays. Thus, this article offers the reader a look at museology in evolution, in movement, is an internal partly subjective look at the development of museology, does not consider a static situation or historical perspective, but analyzes the applicable possibilities in the development of museum business in a single country — India. The author focuses on the analysis of issues such as the re-profiling of cultural and natural heritage sites, the specifics of museum design, the study of the target audience of Indian museums and the activities of national organizations whose activities are related to museums in the country. The author addresses the aspects of financing the museum sector through grants, as well as mutually beneficial cooperation between museums and private collectors. The article was prepared on the basis of relevant research publications, periodicals, museum sites and cultural organizations of India, relevant to the research topic.