07 Jul 2020

 Education Division Curator at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Gaborone, Gopolang Omphemetse says there is need to introduce online visual tours and exhibitions at the National Museum and Art Gallery.

Speaking recently in an interview in Gaborone, Omphemetse said the museum’s daily business had not been spared from the wrath of the COVID- 19 pandemic.

He said the museum experienced a drastic decline of local and international visitors particularly at the gallery.

Omphemetse said they received 25 823 local and 3 177 international tourists between March and April last year while this year, 225 local and 13 international visits were registered in March and none in April, a development that affected sales and consequently artists.

“The museum is home to a collection of sculptures of different wildlife species, crafts and paintings from across the country. These celebrate the works of Batswana and revive interest in cultural heritage, “he said.

Omphemetse further said the annual exhibition that artists relied on as a marketing strategy was also suspended adding that online visual tours and exhibitions would help keep the museum alive and benefit artists financially.

Outreach programmes targeting taking museum services to primary schools in remote areas are also suspended and Omphemetse said the last visits were primary schools in Gakhibana and Streizendum early this year. Ends