Bangkok (Thailand) – June 30, 2016 (travelindex.com) – The Ministry of Culture, Department of Fine Arts, and ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., the project developer of ICONSIAM, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to officially formalize their collaboration in preserving Thai art and culture. The project aims to showcase the national cultural heritage, including antiquities and artifacts. The exhibits will be displayed in the ICONSIAM Heritage Museum, Thailand's first world-class museum. The museum is intended to be a place of cultural exchange and a major tourist attraction.

The ICONSIAM Heritage Museum, Thailand's first world-class museum, will occupy 8,000 square meters of the ICONSIAM complex. It will become the center of Thailand's significant historical and cultural heritage, with art and culture taking center stage. Here, both local and international visitors can experience the pride of Thailand and the elements that define our national identity.

The Department of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture and ICONSIAM are collaborating to exchange ideas and information with the aim of developing standardized procedures in museum management. The Department of Fine Arts will be responsible for the analysis, acquisition, and conservation of antiquities and artifacts to be displayed in the National Heritage Gallery, one of the museum's three exhibition spaces.

Mr. Vira Rojpojchanarat, Minister of Culture, stated: “The agreement signed here between the Department of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture and ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., and the cooperation that will soon commence, is a promising development for Thailand’s cultural and artistic heritage. Today, the private sector will officially play a vital role in assisting the government in promoting and showcasing Thai culture. This directly aligns with the government’s public-private partnership policy, particularly in the area of ​​cultural promotion. The museum will convey Thai values ​​to both locals and tourists, thereby strengthening our admirable culture and national identity. Furthermore, the project will elevate our identity and the creative cultural economy to an international level.”

Mr. Anan Shooshod, Director General of the Department of Fine Arts, stated: “This collaboration marks the beginning of a close partnership between the private and public sectors. Both sides are working together to promote our rich art and culture through the presentation of valuable artifacts. The exhibition reflects our unique way of life from the past to the present, including our religions and our long monarchy. The museum will undoubtedly spark new collaborations to further improve curatorial work and museum management in Thailand. A board will oversee the management, and ICONSIAM has also expressed its intention to donate a portion of the entrance fees to the Archaeology Foundation for future restorations of historical sites, artifacts, and the National Museum.”

Ms. Chadatip Chutrakul, Director of ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., said: “It is the mission and goal of ICONSIAM to create a unique project that represents Thailand’s admirable identity in every way. Our outstanding local knowledge, our exquisite craftsmanship, our architectural brilliance, our history, traditions, cultures, etc., are showcased here.”

The agreement signed today between ICONSIAM and the Department of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture exemplifies how the government and private sector can collaborate in line with the government's public-private partnership policy. This project aims to boost the country's economic development and contribute to job and income creation. The cooperation will solidify Bangkok and Thailand's position as a leading cultural tourism destination. We are confident that this partnership will attract tourists from around the world and encourage them to return to Bangkok time and again. Our exhibition of national cultural heritage will provide a lasting boost to our tourism industry.

“The decision to invest over 500 million baht in this project at ICONSIAM underscores our commitment to strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors. For the first time, a private company is proposing a partnership, becoming a driving force in bringing the country’s valuable historical and cultural heritage to the world and to the Thai people in a tangible way. This investment, however large, is not profit-oriented. We hope that this museum initiative will inspire other organizations to recognize the value and importance of museums as a vital symbol of the country’s economic and social progress.”

A portion of the museum's revenue from the National Heritage Gallery's entrance fees is donated to the Archaeology Foundation for future restorations of historic sites, artifacts, and the National Museum.

ICONSIAM hopes that the ICONSIAM Heritage Museum will become a source of national pride and a model for museum management training according to international standards. The museum plans to establish an institute to promote museum management and staff development. This institute will contribute to establishing a sound understanding of the curatorial profession and the restoration of artifacts.

In its initial phase, the ICONSIAM Heritage Museum is designed to house 3 exhibition spaces:

1. National Cultural Heritage Gallery – In cooperation with the Department of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture, this gallery exhibits artifacts that showcase Thailand's cultural heritage.

2. Temporary Exhibition Gallery – This area presents exhibitions by master artists and world-class museums from around the globe. Visitors can discover important artifacts from all over the world here.

3. River Gallery – The gallery aims to present contemporary works by renowned local and international artists. It will also host art-related events.

The ICONSIAM Heritage Museum will be equipped with a standardized infrastructure and operations that meet the standards of international museums. ICONSIAM is collaborating with Lord Cultural Resources, a global consultancy dedicated to creating cultural capital worldwide, which has previously worked with museums such as the Louvre in France and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Lord Cultural Resources also has experience in setting up operations for Tate Modern in the UK, the security and archive systems for the Library of Congress in the US, and developing exhibition models for the Thailand Creative and Design Centre.

Our expert group will be responsible for the museum's space utilization models, the security system for valuable exhibits, and the quality guidelines for the materials used in the museum building. They will also oversee other important aspects of museum operations, such as air quality control, humidity regulation, and the operation of exhibition spaces containing valuable objects.

The ICONSIAM Heritage Museum is scheduled to open in 2018.

Contact information: Natthanan Ussaneemas (Puk), Head of Public Relations, Supremo Company Limited, a member of the Siam Piwat Group, Marketing of the Siam Piwat Group, 4th Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

T: +66 2 610 8202 M: +66 86 393 8700 [email protected]