Advancing the SDGs through Visayan Museum Practices: a Focused Ethnography Toward ASEAN Socio-Cultural Collaboration

Abstract

Museums within the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) are recognized as vital sectors to drive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the link between museums and the SDGs remains unclear, particularly in terms of how local museums can make tangible contributions. Hence, this ethnographic study explored the practices, challenges, and opportunities in Visayan museums for advancing the SDGs, contributing to creating an avenue for ASEAN socio-cultural collaboration. Eight museum employees and 12 stakeholders were selected using purposive sampling, and data collection and analysis followed Spradley’s (1980) Developmental Research Sequence (DRS). Participant observation, ethnographic interviews, field notes, multimedia tolls, and artifacts were used as primary data collection tools. The findings revealed five main themes or practices in Visayan museums: prioritizing education, fostering empowerment and inclusivity, promoting cultural awareness, promoting environmental awareness, and engaging stakeholders in heritage conservation. The study also identified three main challenges on economic sustainability, physical space, and community awareness. Moreover, four major opportunities were identified, such as community engagement, partnerships and collaborations, cultural and economic development, and institutionalization of policies, which further underscored implications for ASEAN socio-cultural collaboration. Recommendations include enhancing existing initiatives aligned with the SDGs, formalizing SDG-related policies, and facilitating knowledge-sharing platforms.