09 Jun 2014

One of the institutions that many visitors among them students on their school trips patronise when they are new in Gaborone, is the National Museum.

The National Museum is one attraction centre that showcases lifestyles of the various ethnic groups found in Botswana and how they interact with their environment to sustain those lifestyles.

The institution conserves a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural or historical importance and makes them accessible for public viewing.

Most importantly the museum is known for preserving history and heritage, thus the national museum embarked into a project of identifying and collecting old vehicles and any other machinery or equipment that might be of historical importance for possible refurbishment and display at designated spaces around the country.

Such vehicles are those that were used and existed before the country got its Independence, while public spaces could be Parliament, Dikgotla, office grounds, parks and gardens.

In an interview with BOPA, Deputy Director at the national museum, Stephen Mogotsi said the move was an initiative from the Office of the President which tasked the national museum to take inventory of old vehicles that might be of historical importance.

He said they have liaised with Dikgosi and district commissioners in various areas to help with the identification of such.

When identified, Mogotsi said the vehicles or machinery were not going to be taken away from their locality, but rather refurbished and taken to dikgotla or any place of historical importance.

He noted that due to lack of space at the museum, they were not going to have any refurbished vehicles housed at the national museum, adding that so far a few people have already come forth willing to donate their pre-independence vehicles.

“The number of people willing to donate is so far not satisfactory, but if it means popping out something we are definitely going to negotiate compensation” said the deputy director.

Further, Mogotsi noted that the initiative was a developing trend worldwide while the installation is known as public art.

Public art is defined as art in any kind of medium that is put on display for public contemplation, and this art form could be monuments, sculptures, murals and graffiti.

The deputy director noted that cities and towns around the world gained value through public art.

He also said public art reflected and branded the society, particularly community identity and it was a distinguishing part of the public history and the evolving culture.

Members of the public are thus urged to take part and inspire this vital community evolution and branding.

He noted that there were few examples of public art in the country, which include the old steam engine at Botswana Railways headquarters in Mahalapye and the old military aircrafts at the BDF Thebephatshwa and Glen Valley camps.

Others include the railway coach at the national museum and the recent installation of the unique columnar joints at the Francistown International Airport. Ends