The North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation says it aims to strengthen archive practices through museums as part of efforts to preserve the province’s heritage and historical records.
The role of museum archives came under the spotlight during the commemoration of National Archives Week, held from 8 to 15 May. This year’s event was observed under the theme, “Archives for Justice”, with various activities taking place across the province.
The commemoration aimed to highlight the importance of books, archives and different forms of art in recording and preserving South Africa’s diverse history.
During an engagement held at North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus, the department’s Head of Department, Mogorosi, highlighted the need to commercialise museums in the province.
According to Mogorosi, this can be achieved by strengthening partnerships with local artists.
“Let us encourage young people to recognise that artefacts are a form of wealth. If you are an artist, regardless of your art form, it is not something you should take lightly because you can create wealth through art. Whether you are involved in singing, drawing, painting or artefacts, you must realise that it is a business and should be commercialised,” said Mogorosi.
He also encouraged young people to pursue studies linked to career opportunities in archives and history, revealing that the province is experiencing a shortage of personnel in Information Science.
In addition, Mogorosi called for broader discussions on using technology to improve the museum experience. He said innovative approaches must be explored and implemented to ensure museums remain relevant and competitive in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He concluded by encouraging communities to embrace museums as institutions that preserve sacred knowledge about the past, present and future.
His address comes ahead of the 2026 International Museums Week, scheduled to take place from 18 to 22 May.
