A groundbreaking collaboration between the National Museum Commission of Suriname (NMS) and the Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) has culminated in the launch of an extensive museum training program. The initiative, which commenced on Monday, October 13, and will run until October 31, is being held at the National Archives of Suriname. This training follows the announcement made to Surinamese stakeholders in January and the signing of a final agreement with the RCE on April 10, 2025, in the Netherlands.
Roseline Daan, Chairperson of the NMS, expressed her enthusiasm for this significant milestone, emphasizing the months of preparation that led to this point. Alongside NMS Vice-Chairperson Rita Tjien Fooh and Secretary Tanya Sitaram, Daan engaged in discussions with Dutch educators, who are now paired with Surinamese experts, referred to as ‘buddies,’ to co-facilitate the training sessions.
The program is structured into three modules, covering critical areas such as collection management and registration, conflicting value systems, organization of the museum sector, sustainability, and preventive conservation. Daan highlighted the importance of preventive conservation, noting that the training aims to enhance knowledge and skills in museum heritage, education, and presentation. This, she believes, will lay a stronger foundation for the development of Suriname’s museum sector, particularly in light of the NMS’s plans to establish a National Museum. The initiative includes the rehabilitation of Building 1790 under the PURP program and the restoration of the Zeelandiaweg building, known as ‘Devil,’ which will serve as a depot for the new museum.
‘We are building capacity now so that when the museum is ready, the expertise will already be in place to get started,’ Daan explained. She also stressed the importance of deepening the careers of museum professionals and fostering a broader understanding of operational and strategic tasks within Suriname’s cultural institutions.
The training aims to achieve several key outcomes, including broadening knowledge and skills in collection management and conservation, developing interactive and educational visitor programs, improving practical skills in exhibition design and execution, and strengthening leadership and teamwork abilities for successful collaboration within museum institutions.
The Dutch trainers include Emmy Steenhoek, Vivian van Saaze, Bente Bergmans, Marc Stappers, and Nadia Wilting, while the Surinamese trainers are Audrey Hofwijks, Irene Meulenberg, and Rinaldo Klas. Participants in the training represent a wide range of institutions, including the National Herbarium of Suriname, the National Zoological Collection of Suriname, the Koto Museum, the Commewijne Story Museum, Villa Zapakara, the Bakkie Museum, the Diitabiki Museum Fositen Gudu, the National Army Museum, VHJI, the Suriname Museum Foundation, VIDS, the Suriname Nature Conservation Foundation, and staff from the Directorate of Culture.