Asia-Pacific Network of Museums

Asia-Pacific Network of Museums
Name	Asia-Pacific Network of Museums
Region served	Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific Network of Museums is a regional consortium that connects museums, cultural institutions, heritage sites, and conservation bodies across the Asia-Pacific region. It facilitates collaboration among institutions such as the British Museum, Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of China, National Gallery of Australia, and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa while engaging partners like UNESCO, ICOM, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, and World Monuments Fund. The Network promotes standards shared with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution, Louvre, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vatican Museums, and State Hermitage Museum.

History

The Network traces roots to multilateral dialogues among the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and national institutions including the National Museum of the Philippines and the National Museum of Korea during the late 20th century; early conferences convened alongside summits of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Founding activities involved exchanges with the Australian Museum, National Museum of Indonesia, Museum of Chinese History, National Museum of India, and heritage agencies such as National Trust (England) and the National Cultural Heritage Administration (China), building on precedents set by collaborations like the Pacific Islands Museums Association and the South East Asian Museum Network. Milestones include memoranda of understanding with the World Bank, programmatic alignment with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and joint projects with the Asian Development Bank and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).

Membership and Governance

Membership spans national museums such as the National Museum of the Philippines, National Museum of Vietnam, National Museum of Malaysia, National Museum of Mongolia, and autonomous organizations including the Kunstkamera, National Palace Museum (Taiwan), Shanghai Museum, and municipal bodies like the Hong Kong Museum of History and Osaka Museum of History. Governance typically includes advisory boards drawing representatives from ICOM, UNESCO, regional bodies like the Asia-Europe Meeting, and representatives from ministries such as the Ministry of Culture (Japan), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea), and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Pakistan). Statutes reference protocols similar to those of the International Council on Archives, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Leadership rotations and election procedures have mirrored those used by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and other regional associations.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs address conservation, exhibition exchange, digital heritage, and community engagement, partnering with institutions like the British Library, National Archives of Australia, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Initiatives include traveling exhibitions circulated among the National Museum of China, National Museum of Korea, National Museum of the Philippines, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Auckland War Memorial Museum; digitization pilots modeled on projects by the Europeana and collaborations with the Google Cultural Institute and Microsoft for technical infrastructure. Conservation campaigns have coordinated with ICCROM, the Getty Conservation Institute, World Monuments Fund, and the Prince Claus Fund.

Conferences and Events

Regular conferences and symposiums have been held in cities including Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, Canberra, and Wellington, often timed with regional meetings like the ASEAN Summit or the APEC summit. Events invite speakers from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, Rijksmuseum, and research institutions such as Australian National University and Peking University, and include workshops run by ICCROM and panels with representatives from the World Heritage Committee and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Research and Publications

The Network issues reports, policy briefs, and case studies on topics including conservation science, provenance research, repatriation, and museum management, drawing on scholarship from universities such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Tokyo, National University of Singapore, and University of Melbourne. Its publications reference standards from ICOM, case law involving tribunals like the International Court of Justice, and guidelines from the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects; collaborative monographs have been produced with the Getty Research Institute and the Asia Research Institute (National University of Singapore).

Capacity Building and Training

Training programs include internships, fellowships, and technical workshops offered with partners such as the Smithsonian Institution, British Museum, Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Conservation Center (Tokyo University of the Arts), and regional academies like the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA). Curriculum topics cover curatorial practice, preventive conservation, museum security, and digital curation, developed with input from the International Centre for Conservation Studies, Getty Foundation, and university departments at Columbia University, Peking University, and University of Hong Kong.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding and partnerships combine support from multilateral donors such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, UNESCO, and philanthropic organizations including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Getty Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Prince Claus Fund. Corporate and technology partners have included Google, Microsoft, and regional foundations like the Japan Foundation and Korea Foundation, while strategic alliances continue with networked bodies like ICOM, ICCROM, UNIDROIT, and regional museum associations including the Pacific Islands Museums Association and the Council of Australian Museum Directors.

Category:Museums in Asia Category:Cultural organizations