DISCUSSION PAPER: TOWARDS A NEW PROVINCIAL MUSEUM POLICY FOR THE WESTERN CAPE MARCH 2011 Written comments and enquiries on this Discussion Paper should be addressed NOT LATER THAN 30 June 2011 to: The Western Cape Provincial Museum Service Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport For attention: Mr. M Janse Van Rensburg Private Bag X9067 CAPE TOWN 8000 e-mail:
[email protected] Discussion Paper: Towards a new provincial museum policy for the Western Cape Province, March 2011 1 CONTENTS Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 AIM OF THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT 4 1.2 KEY MESSAGES 4 1.3 SUMMARY OF THE CHALLENGES FOR MUSEUMS IN THE WESTERN CAPE 5 1.4 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 6 2 DEFINING MUSEUMS AND THEIR ROLES 7 2.1 UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANSATION (UNESCO) 7 2.2 INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MUSEUMS (ICOM) 8 2.3 DEFINITIONS USED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 8 2.4 MuseumAustralia 10 2.5 SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM ASSOCIATION (SAMA) 10 2.6 ELEMENTS OF A DEFINITION OF A MUSEUM 11 3 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 12 3.1 THE ORGINS OF MUSEUMS 12 3.2 THE FIRST MUSEUM IN SOUTH AFRICA 13 3.3 MUSEUMS IN THE NEW DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA AND A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL 14 FRAMEWORK 4 CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATES OF THE SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT 15 RELATING TO MUSEUMS 4.1 INTRODUCTION 15 4.2 THE FOUNDING PROVISIONS IN THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION 15 4.3 CULTURAL RIGHTS IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS 16 4.4 CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNMENT AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS 17 4.5 NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY 18 4.6 PROVINCIAL LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY 18 4.7 PROVINCIAL CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATES