Ministry plans new national museum

( Champassak province) — The Ministry of Information and Culture is reviewing plans to build a new National Museum in Vientiane , according to a senior official.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, Prof Dr Bosengkham Vongdara, told Vientiane Times on Monday during the Ministry of Information and Culture's nationwide 2007-2008 meeting in Champassak province that the government would consider the project's budget once the model and drawing plans were completed.
“We will start building the national museum once the government agrees on a budget, and we hope this will be soon, as the new building will be far more impressive than the existing one,” he said .
He confirmed that once the new building was ready, the old national museum site would be used for other ministerial activities.
“We need a new museum mainly because of the many new archaeological discoveries we have made during excavations around the country,” Dr Bosengkham said.
He went on to list a number of historical artefacts that were in storage because there was no room to display them in the existing museum.
“It's important for Lao people to be able to learn about the history of their country, which is why we want the best venue possible to display the many items of interest we have in the national collection,” he said.
The new museum will be built beside the Kaysone Phomvihane Memorial at Km 6, already a popular destination for visitors to Vientiane .
Dr Bosengkham said the government has also approved plans to build smaller provincial museums throughout the country.
“On top of the 5-hectare site in Vientiane , our project will extend to all the provinces, some of which already have museums, but which are in need of improvement,” he said, adding that all museums are scheduled for completion by 2020, according to the ministry's plans.
“These museums will be important places of learning for the next generation, who need to be acquainted with their country's history in order to love their country,” he said.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa (Latest Update January 23, 2008)