{{Short description|Museum in Tonga}} {{Infobox organization | full_name = Tonga National Museum | formation = 1998 | type = Governmental organisation | purpose = Culture and heritage | language = Tongan }} The '''Tonga National Museum''' is a national museum located in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga.
== Background == The Tonga National Museum was established in 1998.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Daly|first=Martin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OY0BEAAAQBAJ&dq=tonga+national+museum&pg=PA237|title=Tonga: A New Bibliography|date=2009-02-04|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-6523-8|pages=237|language=en}}</ref> Prior to its opening, displays of artefacts were held in the Tonga National Cultural Centre.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cartmail|first=Keith St|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-XCyCcWHNrQC&dq=tonga+national+museum&pg=PA21|title=The Art of Tonga|date=1997-10-01|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-1972-9|language=en}}</ref> Soon after its establishment, it was hoped that Tongan objects from across the world would be loaned back to the country for display, and that the TNM would be able to export touring exhibitions globally.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kaeppler|first=Adrienne Lois|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qo-BAAAAMAAJ&q=national+museum|title=From the Stone Age to the Space Age in 200 Years: Tongan Art and Society on the Eve of the Millennium|date=1999|publisher=Tongan National Museum|isbn=978-982-9005-01-4|language=en}}</ref>
The first exhibition to be held at the museum was entitled 'From the Stone Age to the Space Age in 200 Years: Tongan Art and Society on the Eve of the Millennium' which opened on 4 July 1998.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Scothern|first=Hilary|date=1999|title=Review of From the Stone Age to the Space Age in 200 Years: Tongan Art and Society on the Eve of the Millennium|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23411149|journal=Pacific Arts|issue=19/20|pages=111–114|jstor=23411149|issn=1018-4252}}</ref> It was curated by Adrienne Kaeppler and featured objects on loan from institutions in the US, as well as Fiji, and Tonga's own collections.<ref name=":4" /> It also included objects from Princess Pilulevu Tuita's private collection.<ref name=":4" /> The exhibition also included shoes made of fau (hibiscus fibre) worn by Queen Salote to the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.<ref name=":4" />
== Collection == thumb|Tu'i Malila Tonga National Museum has a wide-ranging collection, including models of indigenous boats, photographs and objects relating to the royal family.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Asleson|first=Kate|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDCvD34FOoQC&dq=tonga+national+museum&pg=PT102|title=Tonga (Other Places Travel Guide)|date=2011|publisher=Other Places Publishing|isbn=978-0-9822619-4-1|language=en}}</ref> It also has an archaeological collection of Lapita culture ceramics.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6rE0AQAAIAAJ&q=tonga+national+museum|title=Art AsiaPacific Almanac|date=2010|publisher=Art AsiaPacific|language=en}}</ref> It also holds a collection of material relating to Tonga traditional textiles, including several ''kupesi tui''.<ref>Koya Vaka’uta C.F (2017). [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cresantia-Koya/publication/329482410_TAPA_CULTURE_Ancient_knowledge_Sacred_Spaces/links/5c0a7c0c4585157ac1af0647/TAPA-CULTURE-Ancient-knowledge-Sacred-Spaces.pdf Tapa Culture: Ancient Knowledge: Sacred Spaces], In Tapa: from SoutheastAsia to Polynesia, Ed. Charleux, Paris: M, Au Vent des Îles Publications, pp.238 – 288.</ref> The museum has a focus on historical and contemporary Tongan works of art.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/g409_e.pdf|title=TRADE POLICY REVIEW REPORT BY TONGA|publisher=World Trade Organisation|year=2021}}</ref>
The collection also includes Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise who reportedly lived to 189 years old and had been given as a gift to the king of Tonga by James Cook.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=http://www.chelonian.org/crm-6/|title=Turtles on the Brink in Madagascar: Proceedings of Two Workshops on the Status, Conservation, and Biology of Malagasy Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles|date=2013-11-27|publisher=Chelonian Research Foundation|isbn=978-0-9910368-0-6|editor-last=Castellano|editor-first=Christina|edition=First|series=Chelonian Research Monographs|volume=6|doi=10.3854/crm.6.a02p17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608105341/http://www.chelonian.org/crm-6/ |archive-date=2023-06-08 |editor-last2=Rhodin|editor-first2=Anders|editor-last3=Ogle|editor-first3=Michael|editor-last4=Mittermeier|editor-first4=Russell|editor-last5=Randriamahazo|editor-first5=Herilala|editor-last6=Hudson|editor-first6=Rick|editor-last7=Lewis|editor-first7=Richard}}</ref> Tu'i Malila died in 1966 and was preserved as a taxidermy specimen in the lobby of the International Dateline Hotel until they were transferred to the museum.<ref name=":1" />
== Closure == The museum closed to the public due to a lack of funding.{{When|date=July 2021}}<ref name=":0" /> Its collections were transferred to Tupou College Museum.<ref name=":0" /> By 2014 there were calls for the museum to be re-established - in particular as a home for archaeological archives.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-08-04|title=Call for Tonga museum to showcase Polynesian history|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-05/an-call-for-tongan-museum-to-display-heritage/5648736|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref>
== Revival == In 2017 a project began to explore the possibility of reopening the museum. It was supported by the then Minister of Tourism, Semisi Sika, curator Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai and sculptors Tui’one Pulotu & Steven Fehoko, amongst others.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=admin|date=2020-10-29|title=Tonga National Museum revived to display past and present artifacts|url=https://fangongomediawatch.com/local/tonga-national-museum-revived-to-display-past-and-present-artifacts/|access-date=2023-12-08|website=FĀNGONGO Media Watch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716052530/https://fangongomediawatch.com/local/tonga-national-museum-revived-to-display-past-and-present-artifacts/ |archive-date=2021-07-16 |url-status=usurped|language=en}}</ref> A feasibility study demonstrated that there was a need to re-establish the institution.<ref name=":2" /> The redevelopment was funded by the Ministry of Tourism.<ref name=":2" /> In 2017 staff from Tonga visited Fiji Museum for training in museum management.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2017|title=Fiji hosts Tonga National Museum specialists|url=https://www.looptonga.com/node/68336|access-date=2021-07-15|website=Loop Tonga|language=en}}</ref>
The Tonga National Museum was reopened on 30 October 2020 by HRH Salote Pilolevu Mafile’o Tuita at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-30|title=Princess Pilolevu opens National Museum|url=https://matangitonga.to/2020/10/30/princess-pilolevu-opens-national-museum|access-date=2021-07-15|website=Matangitonga|language=en}}</ref> She gave a speech stating that the national museum has a key role in preserving the heritage of Tonga.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Media|first=VPON|date=2020-10-31|title=HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita re-opens Tonga National Museum|url=https://www.vponmedia.co.nz/hrh-princess-pilolevu-tuita-re-opens-tonga-national-museum/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=VPON Media / Tonga Latest Political News|language=en-NZ}}</ref> Collectors Mark and Carolyn Blackburn loaned objects from their private collection to the museum for the reopening.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Broken Promises, Dirty Dealings by Tongan Government|date=30 June 2017|url=https://culturalpropertynews.org/broken-promises-dirty-dealings-by-tongan-government/|access-date=2021-07-15}}</ref>
== Administration == The CEO is Sione Moala Mafi.<ref name=":3" /> As of 2020, the museum was open five days per week, from Monday to Friday.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ministry of Tourism Tonga, 'Api Ko Lata'anga, Nuku'alofa (2021)|url=https://www.govserv.org/TO/Nuku%60alofa/831597696894447/Ministry-of-Tourism-Tonga|access-date=2021-07-15|website=www.govserv.org|language=en}}</ref> The museum is run by staff from the Culture Division of the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Museum to be reopened – TBC|url=http://www.tonga-broadcasting.net/?p=18686|access-date=2021-07-15|language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
== Location == The Tonga National Museum is located in Nuku'alofa; it is close to the Tonga National Cultural Centre and Tonga Botanical Gardens.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tonga National Cultural Centre » The Kingdom Of Tonga|url=https://thekingdomoftonga.com/tonga-national-cultural-centre/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=thekingdomoftonga.com}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of museums in Tonga * List of national museums
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* Flickr: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/99783650@N00/600761366/in/photostream/ Tonga National Museum's Tortoise] * Google Arts & Culture: [https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/ngatu-cultural-wealth-of-the-kingdom-of-tonga/NAKi_qPipunBKA Ngatu, Cultural Wealth of the Kingdom of Tonga]
{{coord|-21.1335|-175.2002|type:landmark_region:TO|display=title}}{{Oceania topic|List of museums in}}
Category:Museums in Tonga Category:Buildings and structures in Nukuʻalofa Category:Museums established in 1998 Category:National museums