The Department of Culture has launched its first “virtual museum” as part of efforts to motivate young people around the territory, according to government.

The initiative, which launched on May 20 in observance of International Museum Day, highlights the importance of museums to the territory’s culture and history, according to Deputy Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley.

“This is why we have museums: to give you, young people, an opportunity to learn how life used to be in the Virgin Islands,” Dr. Wheatley told attendees at the launch ceremony. “We at the ministry are looking at building a museum so we can have exhibitions about our culture, from basket weaving to cultural villages to Hurricane Irma.”

Deputy Culture Director Anne Lennard said the initiative was in keeping with the theme of the week, “Museums as Cultural Hubs: The Future of Tradition.”

“In other words, if you cannot come to a museum, with the click of a button the Maritime Museum of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College comes to you,” she said.

Related activities held last week included a weeklong exhibition at the H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Collection; exhibitions by the Long Look Heritage Committee and the Long Look Methodist Church; a pop-up museum at Jost Van Dyke Primary School last Thursday; and an exhibition at Bregado Flax Educational Centre on Virgin Gorda on Friday.