Tibet Museum Celebrates 48th International Museum Day with Journal Launch and Exhibition
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 16 May: The Tibet Museum of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), Central Tibetan Administration celebrated the 48th International Museum day today, focusing on the future of museums in rapidly changing communities.
While International museum day is usually celebrated on 18th May, the Tibet Museum has moved up the date since this year’s official date falls on Sunday, when the government employees are off duty.
The opening ceremony featured the launch of the ‘Tibetan Museum Journal: Volume 2,’ with presentations on the museum’s overall operations. Karma Choeying, the Secretary of the DIIR, attended the event as the Chief Guest along with other dignitaries and students from Upper TCV school.
Additionally, the Tibet Museum has collaborated with seven Tibetan artists for an art exhibition held outside its main building. The collaborative exhibition includes works by Tibetan artists from both Nepal and India.
The museum has also displayed a pictorial legacy of the 10th Panchen Lama to commemorate 30 years of China’s abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama. The current Panchen Lama (11th) along with his family members were abducted by Chinese authorities on 17th May 1995.
Tenzin Topdhen, the Director of the Tibet Museum, raised concerns over China’s systematic use of museums as a propaganda tool to promote false narratives. He cited examples of fabricated archaeological narratives and the commodification of Tibetan culture through tourism in recent years.
He also highlighted China’s influence on international museums, including the Musée du Quai Branly and Musée Guimet in France, as well as the British Museum.
These institutions have reportedly complied with Chinese efforts to replace the name “Tibet” with the reductionist Chinese name “Xizang,” which refers only to the present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). This rebranding deliberately excludes Tibet’s two other historical provinces, Amdo and Kham, which were integral parts of the then-independent Tibet.
“It is critical that we understand museums as political in nature rather than just institutions for showcasing our culture and tradition,” Topdhen stated.
Secretary Karma Choeying emphasised the systemic erasure of Tibetan language and civilisation under China’s rule, particularly through colonial boarding schools. He also spoke of the restricted political and civil space for Tibetans in exile, including government and nongovernmental institutions, while stressing the importance of maintaining hope.
Choeying noted that the Tibet Museum faces challenges in operating efficiently due to economic and political factors, as the exiled Tibetan government depends largely on support from the international community. However, he remarked that despite shortcomings, the Tibet Museum has managed to function and achieve positive outcomes.
The Tibet museum houses over 30,000 photographs spanning from pre-1959 to early exile life in the 1960s and 80s, to contemporary exile and global Tibet.
The Museum has collected more than 1,300 objects in various materials including paper, textile, wood and metal. The first object in the collection was a clay Buddha head acquired in 2017. These collections are stated as key for research, cartographic projects, and publications.
