ITP at The British Museum 2019: Vishi Upadhyay
With May 18th being International Museum Day it only seems fitting that we share the experiences of our most recent recipient of the International Training Programme at the British Museum.
Vishi Upadhyay attended programme in 2019 and currently works in the collection unit at the Bihar Museum in Patna. In this week's post she writes a meaningful account about her time at the British Museum.
I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to the team at the International Training Programme (ITP) 2019 at the British Museum for giving me the opportunity to participate in their programme. ITP is possibly the most popular training course among the museum professionals worldwide. I am also grateful to my sponsors, the British Museum Trust, the Charles Wallace India Trust and the Inlaks Shivadasani Foundation, who made my training possible.
My time at the ITP was extremely holistic. I had the opportunity to attends sessions in archaeology, conservation, contemporary collecting, fundraising, international engagement, leadership, photography of objects and shows, staff engagement, volunteer programmes, cultural heritage and peacebuilding, equality and diversity management, future planning for museums, security, marketing and publicity, exhibition and gallery design, national and international loans and a number of other such disciplines that are form important parts of museum studies. Being a part of the collections team at the Bihar Museum in Patna made the opportunity to focus and hone my skills in collection management during ITP particularly interesting.
As a part of the programme I was placed at a partner museums in Manchester for 10 days. My interactions there taught me not only how to manage a regional museum but also involve the local communities. My most fruitful discussion was with the museum staff about how to manage regional museums on low budget. The insights that I received during my time in the UK have enhanced my skill and will be applied to my day to day activities in every possible way.
I am also grateful that I have the opportunity to a variety of visit historical sites and museums. Visting Stonehenge, various museums, the Royal Observatory, the London Eye, the Tower of London, the Royal Mint in Cardiff and Liverpool enabled me to make unforgettable memories
I believe my days at the ITP to be the golden period of entire career. The programme is a comprehensive and appreciable effort of British museum that trains museum professionals by covering their all aspects of a museum professional’s requirements. I especially appreciate the ITP team’s dedication in taking care of the interests of every participant. My time at the programme has moulded me not only professionally but personally as well.
