The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage Through Documentation Practices

Museums have played a crucial role in preserving tangible cultural heritage for centuries. However, with the rise of globalization and the increasing threat to intangible cultural heritage (ICH), museums have expanded their role to involve safeguarding ICH. This thesis investigates the role of museums in safeguarding ICH through documentation practices. The research will utilize a qualitative methodology that extensively reviews existing literature on the topic. It will also involve a case study of several museums to determine how they have incorporated ICH into their documentation practices. The findings reveal that museums have followed various approaches to safeguarding ICH through documentation practices. These approaches contain creating digital archives, partnering with communities, and utilizing multimedia platforms. The research also emphasizes challenges museums face in safeguarding ICH, such as the deficiency of resources, copyright issues, and ethical concerns. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that museums play a crucial role in safeguarding ICH through documentation practices. The research advises museums to adopt a holistic approach that involves partnering with communities and new documentation methods to safeguard ICH. The study also recommends that museums assign adequate resources to develop documentation practices to safeguard ICH.