Institute of Jamaica Seeking to Attract More Visitors

The Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) is putting in place a number of measures to attract more visitors to its East Street complex, downtown Kingston.

These include adding a Saturday opening day and introducing new programmes and activities for children and adults.

Executive Director of the IOJ, Anne Marie Bonner, said that members of the public can now visit the Institute and its museums on Saturdays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The divisions that are opened are the National Museum of Jamaica, the Natural History Museum of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Music Museum.

“Since May this year, we have started opening on Saturdays to ensure that more of our public is able to come in and see our exhibits and to see what we have to offer,” she said.

Miss Bonner, who was addressing a JIS Think Tank earlier on Wednesday, July 16, said that members of the public have been responding favourably to the Saturday opening.

“So far, the response has been positive. A lot of people like the idea that we open on a Saturday and we are hoping that the numbers and interest in the Institute will increase over time,” she stated.

The Executive Director said the new opening hours will continue for a probationary period of six months after which an assessment will be done to determine the way forward.

She said the IOJ has also developed movie showing, storytelling and activities for children and adults to take place on Saturdays during the summer. She said there will also be books and memorabilia on sale at the IOJ’s gift shop as well as free tours of exhibitions.

Miss Bonner noted that students were the main visitors to the Institute, especially during the week and expressed the need for other categories of persons to visit the facility.

“We want to reach out to a wider audience, more families, more young professionals, more young people and of course, retired persons and seniors. We want them all to come to see what the Institute of Jamaica has to offer,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Miss Bonner is inviting the public to participate in the Independence Signature Conversations being hosted by the Institute.  “Up Ye Mighty Race: Garveyism and the National Agenda” is the topic for discussion on Sunday, July 20, starting at 2:00 p.m. The panelists will be Amina Blackwood Meeks, Steven Golding, Dr. Donna McFarlane and Dr. Clinton Hutton. Discussions will be moderated by Professor Verene Shepherd.

Signature Conversations is a reasoning session and an opportunity for the business, academic and service club communities to contribute to the dialogue on national development.