List of national museums

A national museum is a museum maintained by a nation.

The following is a list of national museums:

Australia

Argentina

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

National Museum (Maldives)

Established on the National Day of the Maldives, the first National Museum of the country was opened on November 11, 1952, by the Prime Minister at the time, Mohamed Amin Didi.

Overview

With the purpose of preserving history and instilling patriotism among the people of the Maldives, the museum has a large collection of historical artifacts, ranging from stone objects to fragments of royal antiquities from the Buddhist era to the rule of Islamic monarchs.

The museum was previously administered by the Maldivian Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research. However, on 28 April 2010, this institution was abolished by President Mohamed Nasheed and its charge of the Museum's responsibilities given to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture while the linguistic and historical research responsibilities were handed over to the Maldives College of Higher Education.

Building

The three-storied museum (old building) is located in the Sultan Park in Malé, which is part of the site of the Maldivian Royal Palace compound dating back to the 17th century. The two-storey Us-gēkolhu is also the only remaining structure of the palace demolished by fire in 1968.

National Museum of the Philippines

The National Museum of the Philippines (Filipino: Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas) is a government institution in the Philippines and serves as an educational, scientific and cultural institution in preserving the various permanent national collections featuring the ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological and visual artistry of the Philippines. Since 1998, the National Museum has been the regulatory and enforcement agency of the National Government in the restoring and safeguarding of important cultural properties, sites and reservations throughout the Philippines.

The National Museum operates the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, and National Planetarium, all located in the vicinity of Rizal Park.

History

The National Museum began as the Insular Museum of Ethnology, Natural History, and Commerce in 1901 under the Department of Public Instruction through Philippine Commission Act No. 284. It was subsequently transferred under the Department of Interior as the Bureau of Ethnological Survey after the passage of the Philippine Commission Act No. 841 in 1903. This new bureau was responsible for the Philippine participation in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. After the exposition, it was abolished as a separate bureau and was renamed the Philippine Museum.