The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum has found a home.
The long-awaited entity will be located on the corner of Duke and Charlotte streets in Port of Spain, in what was the headquarters of the Co-operative Bank of Trinidad popularly known as “The Penny Bank”.
A temporary exhibition is currently housed in the facility featuring a treasure trove of archival material such as photographs, clothing from calypso greats such as the late Lord Kitchener, traditional carnival costumes and scrapbooks.
There are rooms dedicated to mas, pan and calypso and soca music.
Speaking at the opening, Rosalind Gabriel, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Leaders Association and Carnival Museum committee member, said the building was donated to them by the First Citizens Bank Foundation.
“Through the First Citizens corporate social responsibility initiative, the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Band Association was the successful bidder for this property known as the Penny Bank which will be repurposed into the Carnival Museum. Soon after the bid was awarded, a non-profit NGO was registered, which is the Carnival Museum of Trinidad and Tobago,” she said, expressing delight at the location of the PoS in the east, which is very close to the birthplace of Carnival.
Gabriel revealed that the iconic structure, built in 1914, would be renovated to fit the museum’s plan, while the exterior facade would be preserved.
“The vision for the Carnival Museum is to be the home where Carnival stories will be told and its mission would be to preserve the history and continued evolution of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival wherever it takes place in the world, passing on the knowledge and skills, communicating its legacy and telling the story of Carnival through education, art and technology,” she said.
Gabriel revealed that live Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality will be used in the museum through mobile devices.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Randall Mitchell takes on a traditional costume at the Carnival Museum.
She said a steering committee has been set up and is working on concept, design and architectural plans for the museum for early walk-through exhibits and virtual experience. Developing a dynamic, influential and competitive brand profile to attract audiences and business partners, locally, regionally and internationally.
The committee collaborated with the Carnival Institute, which contributed archival products for the launch of the museum.
In his speech, Randall Mitchell, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said that when he first went to the ministry he saw a proposal for a carnival museum at Fort San Andres in lower Port of Spain.
He said that these projects should be a collaboration between the public and private sectors.
“The ministry is a partner and is sponsoring and will continue to sponsor,” he said, thanking the FCB Foundation for their support and asking T&T Corporation to take advantage of incentives to sponsor the project.
Looking at the Museum’s location, Mitchell said it is part of the revitalization of East Port of Spain and will soon join the new Desperadoes Pan art theater and the revamped Piccadilly Greens.
The Co-operative Bank of Trinidad, forerunner of FCB, provided an important platform for all citizens regardless of class or social status to save and grow their funds by opening an account with just one penny.
It also provided the ability for the working class to participate in banking, become financially literate, and accumulate wealth.
Professor Sterling Frost, Chairman of the FCB Foundation, said that when FCB donated the building to the Foundation it was for the purpose of promoting culture, art and education.
He said that helping the Carnival Museum realize his vision is an important project that will benefit the citizens of T&T and the diaspora.
The current exhibit is open to the public for a month, but visitors are asked to call for an appointment.
For more information visit the Museum via Facebook.
