BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Wednesday, 23 September. – Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (BKISHHB) today commenced a Storytelling Training Workshop for BKISHHB Guides, conducted in-house to strengthen communication, presentation and storytelling skills among its officers and Gallery Coordinators.
The six-day workshop is divided into two group sessions, with Group A attending the workshop on 23, 24 and 26 September 2026, while Group B will participate from 28 to 30 September 2026.
For the first session, a total of 21 participants from Group A attended the workshop conducted by Jimmy Leong, a Certified UNESCO Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Trainer and a specialist in storytelling in Malaysia.
The workshop was held at the Lecture Room and Exhibition Galleries 1 to 9, BKISHHB. The first day focused on introducing the fundamentals and principles of storytelling, as well as its importance as an effective communication approach in delivering information to visitors.
In the morning session, participants attended the “Lecture: Concept of Storytelling”, which provided an introduction to the basic concepts of storytelling and how storytelling techniques can be applied in the context of interpretation within museum and gallery settings.
Meanwhile, the afternoon session continued with the “Lecture: Storytelling Techniques”, focusing on techniques for delivering stories in a more effective and engaging manner.
The workshop aims to enhance the communication and presentation skills of BKISHHB guides to ensure more professional and effective delivery, while strengthening storytelling techniques in presenting information related to the collections and exhibition galleries.
The storytelling approach is also expected to assist guides in presenting exhibition content in a more engaging, interactive and accessible manner for visitors from diverse backgrounds.
In addition, the workshop emphasises enhancing the confidence and professional presence of officers and Gallery Coordinators when conducting guided tours, thereby contributing towards a more meaningful and visitor-oriented experience.
Throughout the workshop, participants will be introduced to various aspects of storytelling, including understanding the elements that make a story effective within a museum environment, selecting and delivering stories effectively, the use of vocal expression, as well as approaches to conveying heritage values and meaningful narratives that are memorable and accessible to visitors.
The workshop also includes practical training sessions and guided tour simulations at the exhibition galleries, enabling participants to apply the storytelling knowledge and techniques acquired in real-life situations.
The organisation of the workshop reflects BKISHHB’s commitment towards strengthening human resource competencies, particularly in the areas of interpretive communication and visitor experience, in line with BKISHHB’s role as an institution dedicated to preserving, showcasing and introducing the heritage of Islamic knowledge and civilisation to the public.
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