I believe for museums to be more appealing, they should make their presentations interactive. You know through technology or at the very least through human tour guides. Like the The Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. I remembered in one section of the museum there was free-flowing of Cokes and being a true blue Malaysian who thrive on barang percuma I drank Cokes until I was really really sick. Whatever it is, that’s my kind of museum.
Which brings us to Museum Volunteers of Malaysia which since April this year have been conducting guided tours done in English and French at Muzium Negara.
The Museum Volunteers of Malaysia is a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political and non-religious group with the aim to promote public and government awareness of museums while encouraging its appreciation among the visitors.
I have been to Muzium Negara previously and did not particularly enjoy it, but recently the group invited me to tag along for a session. And whaddya know? I liked it. I like the fact there’s someone explaining the significance of various displays. I really don’t know how to describe it but having a guide in a museum tour is much better than walking aimlessly from one display to another. You tend to appreciate it more.
But with the Museum Volunteers of Malaysia, I also feel a bit malu as most of these guides are “expat moms”. The one I met, Marie Christine Tseng is French married to a Taiwanese. And she knows a lot more about history of Malaysia than me. A real alamak!!! moment for me.
Currently, the tours are done at 10 am on Tuesdays and 11am on Thursdays where they take visitors to selected sections of the museum that focuses on discovering and exploring Malaysia.
The free tours start at the front of the main entrance desk, which is the meeting point for those interested. Reservations are needed for groups and school tours while dedicated tours and activities for children and schools will be made available soon.
Marie also told me that they are recruiting more volunteers as to offer the tours during weekends.
The Museum Volunteers of Malaysia is hosted by Muzium Negara, which supports and promotes their projects and activities since their inception.
Interested to be a volunteer, you may contact
Marie Christine Tseng
Tel: 017 230 5199
E-mail: mvmqueries@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.jmm.org.my/
That's Marie (right) explaining things to a group of Vietnamese tourists 
