CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVERVIEW
The importance attached to any museum object derives its value in cultural and historical context which may span over areas such as religion, education on, politics, economy and warfare. It is pertinent to note those museums are categorizes according to the type of their collections, locations and their purpose.
A: According to type of object in their collections.
1. ART MUSEUM: It collects the elites artistic products of human society, painting, drawings, photographs, statues, furniture, jewelry, textiles, metals ware and craft products.
2. HISTORY MUSEUM: It is concerned with history. All objects made or used by human beings are potentials interest to the history museum.
3. ENCYCLOPEDIC OR GENERAL MUSEUM: It deals with several or all fields instead of just art, or history or geology etc.
4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM: It collects and exhibit historical and cultural remains recovered from the earth.
5. SCIENCE MUSEUM: There are two major kinds of science museum:
a. Science/industry museums
b. National history museums.
6. ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM: It collects and displays cultural materials associated with social institutions, clothing and implements of old.
7. Museum of posters, toys, textile etc.
B: According to the location and ownership: These museums are usually of general types.
1. University Museums: It is attached to the history, science or other departments of the universities and owned and managed by the university authority.
2. Art council museum
3. Local government museums
4. State museum
5. Federal museum
6. Open air museum
According to their purpose
1. Children museum: These are museums intended exclusively for young children, with every thing in their scale down to fit their physical size and mental capacity.
2. Museum for the blind
3. Museums of freedom-fighting.
Therefore, following the general perception of the public about the state of museum as highlighted above, need arises about the awareness and development of museum and their corresponding preservation and conservation of artifacts. At this juncture, it is relevant to explain the key concepts of this research study which includes, museum, artifacts, preservation, conservation, etc as it is in respect of the case study. The National War Museum Umuahia, Abia State.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The establishment of museum is significant in any developing nation like Nigeria where historical record provides a link between the past, the present and most certainly, the future.
The importance attached to any museum object derives its value in cultural and historical context which may span over areas such as Religion, Education, Politics, Economy and warfare. It is most unfortunate, however, that most Nigerians, up to this time, have not yet realized the importance of museums to the society. To such people, museums are associated with artifacts and monuments which are regarded as old and useless objects meant for incarceration: This type of impression attached to this important agency (museum) has so much affected us such that most of the objects which would have been very useful in general enlighten and education of the public suffer from deterioration.
1.1.0 DEFINITION
A survey of preservation and conservation of local history collections in Nigeria: (A case study of National War museum, Umuahia) which is the topic of this work cannot be well treated if the concept of “preservation and conservation” and “museum” elude the author.
However, The World book Dictionary (1996) defines conservation as “the act of conserving, protecting from loss or being used up: avoidance of waste”. “Management, protection, wise use of resources”.
Furthermore, The Encyclopedia Britannica (1978) explains that conservation concerns the care given to collection as a whole, to protect them against these three causes of alteration: that is, environmental factor (temperature, humidity, atmospheric, pollution, lighting); Internal factor (biological, physical, chemical or mechanical action within the object itself); and human factor (handling, transportation etc).
Alegbeleye (1985) sees conservation as the term that embraces several related ideas such as:
a. Restoration, which is the action taken to correct deterioration of all kinds and also maintain the items in their original form.
b. Substitution which has to do with the replacement of the original by microfilming and digitalization.
The Webster’s Encyclopedia Dictionary (1998) defines preservation as “to keep, maintain and preserve from ruin for the present and future uses”.
The World Book Dictionary (1996) defines preservation as “the act or process of preserving keeping safe: or those activities which are involved in keeping an object from deteriorating further”.
Museum is defined as a “temple, home, resort of the learned; and institution or repository for the collection, exhibition and study of objects of artistic, historic, scientific and educational interest”. It is an institution established to encourage the preservation and to discourage as far as possible the deterioration and loss of objects treasured by the society.