In 2019, the Center for Burma Studies (CBS) at NIU received a $250,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS). The grant will fund a high-density compact storage system designed for the specific needs of the Burma Arts Collection. This new space will improve the Center’s curatorial and collection management responsibilities while allowing for better museum standards and best practices. The new space will also allow easier and better access for scholars, teachers, and students.
A space within the Founders Memorial Library has recently been identified and is under reconstruction to house the Center’s Burma Art Collection. The collection consists of more than 3,000 artworks, including a rich and diverse collection of Buddhist sculptures in bronze, wood, silver, and terracotta. Chests for religious manuscripts, sacred banners, garments from different ethnic groups, paintings, watercolors, prints, photography, musical instruments and Burmese reverse glass paintings are also featured in the collection.
The CBS cares for collections of artworks and cultural artifacts collected by Americans who previously lived and worked in Burma, and were either donated directly or bequeathed to the BAC to be held in the public trust.
Since 1986, the two collections – Burma Art Collection and the Burmese bibliographic holdings – have been growing and now amount to more than 13,000 items. The core of the CBS pieces came initially through the generous and essential support of scholars and diplomats who participated in creating the Center for Burma Studies.
The first major bequest came in 1990 with donations from the former scholar/diplomat Jerry Bennet who gave to the Center a rich bibliographic collection of rare and common books on Burma, manuscripts, maps and archival materials. It was then that the dedicated Burmese curator, the late May Kyi Win was engaged to curate and catalog these for the DVHC. Since 2006, Hao Phan and Sarah Cain have managed the Library’s Burma/Myanmar holdings.
Catherine Raymond
