Preserving our rich heritage for the Customs and Central Excise Museum, Goa - Establishment of a system of identification, collection, preservation and storage of articles and documents of historical value - Customs - 043/2004

Circular No. 43/2004-Cus., dated 22-6-2004 F.No. 528/21026/2003-Cus. (ICD) Government of India Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Central Board of Excise Customs, New Delhi Subject : Preserving our rich heritage for the Customs and Central Excise Museum, Goa - Establishment of a system of identification, collection, preservation and storage of articles and documents of historical value The Customs and Central Excise Department is setting up the National Customs and Excise Museum at Goa. For this purpose a Committee has already been set up. Efforts are being made to have a rich collection of articles and documents of interest for the museum. The Chairman, CBEC, vide letter of even number dated 15-12-2003 had exhorted all the Chief Commissioners to give their full hearted support in collecting exhibits for the Museum. The items for the museum could include various uniforms of different eras (Portuguese, Dutch, British etc.), photographs, documents, manuscripts, audio visual material, seized goods, concealment exhibits (false bottomed suitcases, books etc.), anchors, barrels, parts of ships, old laboratory instruments, arms carried by officers in different periods etc. This is a brief list. Several more categories of articles and ideas have been listed in the vision document circulated with aforesaid letter of the Chairman, CBEC. 2. As a part of this ongoing process, you are requested to kindly send a statement in following format regarding availability of articles of interest for the Museum in offices under your jurisdiction. Inputs for the report may kindly be taken from all the sections/deptts. (a) Name of the article/document (b) Reference details : File/document number etc., (c) Age of the article/document (d) Physical condition (e) Nature of its origin/source (f) Content (g) Reasons (may please be indicated in your valued opinion in regard to its historical value/potential historical value. (h) Present custody (i) Remarks/any other relevant information. The report may kindly be sent directly to Director, National Customs and Central Excise Museum, Goa. 3. Henceforth, an added concern while indexing and weeding out old records should naturally be to keep in mind the historical value or potential historical value of various documents, notings etc. 4. Co-operation and support of all concerned is solicited to enable preservation of our rich national heritage in the field of Customs and Excise.