• 02 Sep 2026

Strengthening Museums Through Exchange and Collaboration

Museum and cultural heritage professionals across Bhutan recently gathered for a landmark national roundtable and professional exchange at the National Museum, Ta Dzong in Paro.

Organized through a partnership between the Bhutan Foundation, the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre (WPMCC), and the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development’s Museum Division, the initiative brought both Bhutanese museum curators with experts from New York’s Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art for peer-to-peer learning and practical dialogue.

Led by Michelle Bennett Simorella and Dr. Elena Pakhoutova, the Paro sessions tackled key industry priorities, including curatorial practice, collections management, logistics, and disaster preparedness.

The exchange then moved to Bumthang for hands-on workshops at the Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre. Participants had practical training in exhibition planning, audience engagement, and long-term collections stewardship.

Supported by the Bhutan Foundation, this collaboration reinforces an ongoing commitment to building institutional capacity and safeguarding Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage.