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MUSEUMS must step out of the past and into the present, to expose social issues of the day, say experts.
They should be a tool for change, by teaching people about the world around them, says Information Ministry Culture and National Heritage department collection section head Adbul Wahab Al Khaja.
"Unfortunately, here we don't follow the pace of what goes on in society and we should be proactive, not reactive," Mr Al Khaja told the GDN.
"We should lead the way for people and tell them.
"The museum has a role to awaken those who have limited knowledge about problems around the world, for example the Aids problem.
"This is something people consider taboo, but the museum is a place where these types of issues can be discussed.
"Other problems Bahraini people suffer from, whether poverty, unemployment, or housing, could be highlighted by the museum."
Mr Al Khaja said generally people perceived the museum as a place that only focused on archaeology and heritage.
However, he said, this concept died out in the West about 40 or 50 years ago and in this age the museum's role was about servicing the community's demands and highlighting what was happening in society.
Mr Al Khaja said six years ago the Science Museum in London set up an area where they were teaching children how to scientifically score a goal.
This, he said, was an example of how a museum could be used to reach a particular sector of the society.
"We don't have to tackle issues just of dinosaurs and archaeology," explained Mr Al Khaja.
"A museum is limitless in the opportunities it can offer. It can reach out to people through a performance, or a play.
"Museums are not just a place for the elite, cultured, or cream of society, it's for everyone, especially the disadvantaged and these people need to be reached.
"This is our ambition and I think with a bit of understanding and gaining more knowledge of what other countries are doing we can do this in the future."
Mr Al Khaja was speaking Sunday on the sidelines of a two-day Middle East Museum Management seminar, which concluded Monday at the Beit Al Quran in Manama.
The seminar was opened by Beit Al Quran founder and executive chairman Dr Abdul Latif Jassim Kanoo, followed by greetings from British Council Bahrain acting director Zoe Chadwick and the council's regional arts projects manager Jamal Al Moosawi-Hassanovich.
Dr Kanoo told the GDN on the sidelines of the event that it was important for Bahrain to network with other countries in the GCC and worldwide to keep up on the latest trends and developments in presenting and upgrading museums.
He said he would like to see this type of co-operation continue and develop and for more exhibitions to tour the GCC countries.
"The aim and objective of this seminar is to promote culture and develop relationships and the presentation of heritage and traditions," said Dr Kanoo.
"I'm very pleased we have representatives from all Gulf museums who will communicate and participate and more importantly concentrate on the presentation and upgrading of museums.
"We are delighted to see neighbouring countries putting an emphasis on art, museums and culture.
"Touring exhibitions within the GCC must be developed and maintained and the Beit Al Quran already has an exhibition in Sharjah."
The aim of the seminar is to engage museum directors and senior museum managers in the Gulf states and Yemen, and provide a unique opportunity for networking among specialists in the region and their counterparts in the UK.
Five experts from various UK museums and 15 others from Bahrain, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen were attending the event.
Topics being debated included raising awareness, infrastructure, specialised training for employees, public participation, future plans, marketing, administration, design and exhibits.
The seminar is also examining eight studies - five by British and three by Middle East experts.
Two more seminars will follow in the region next year and in 2008, with the aim of future collaboration with the Near East and North Africa region.