Public-private partnership: CAP to curate national history museum

Museum will showcase stories about Pakistan using different archival sources

LAHORE: The provincial government has selected the Citizens’ Archives of Pakistan (CAP), a not-for-profit organisation, to curate the National History Museum and Amphitheatre under construction as part of the Greater Iqbal Park project.

Lahore Division Commissioner Abdullah Khan Sumbal told The Express Tribune on Saturday that the National History Museum and Amphitheatre was a unique project. Lahore was an ideal place for the construction of such a museum considering its rich history and role in the independence movement. He said the museum would help boost tourism at the Greater Iqbal Park.

He said in collaboration with experts the provincial government officials were working diligently to complete work on the Greater Iqbal Park project. He said the project team was expected to deliver its best performance since the chief minister had termed the Greater Iqbal Park project a ‘jewel in Lahore’s crown’. “We can’t wait to see people from all over the country and abroad visiting the museum,” he said.

PHA Director General Mian Shakeel Ahmed, the project lead, said there was no better place than the Minar-i-Pakistan complex to establish a national history museum. “The Greater Iqbal Park area is surrounded by several historic monuments that reflect our identity and history,” he said. He said the National History Museum would be the first facility of its kind in the country.

CAP Executive Director Swaleha Alam Shahzada said it was a great honour for her organisation to curate the National History Museum. “We hope that this museum will celebrate our nation’s history and instill pride in our youth.

The museum will showcase stories about Pakistan using archival content such as photographs, newspaper articles, personal letters and firsthand accounts. It will use state-of-the-art technology and interactive games to enhance visitors’ experience and engage people of all ages. The amphitheatre will serve as a venue for a variety of cultural programmes.

Under the partnership, the CAP will be responsible for the overall design, conceptualisation, curation and management of the museum. It will also handle educational and official tours to the museum.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.