Aprille Tijam

Biography

Aprille obtained a BA degree in Philippine Arts at the University of the Philippines-Manila and has worked with both private and government museums in the Philippines since 1994. Her extensive experience in the museum industry has allowed her to engage in education, PR, exhibitions and collections, providing her with a holistic understanding of the many facets of museum work.

At present, Aprille is Senior Manager for Exhibitions and Collections at Ayala Museum, where she has been working since 2004. As Collections Manager, she has developed collections-based education programmes and has organised the 5-year collections management rehabilitation programme from 2008 to 2013. Since 2008, she has project-managed the museum’s Traveling Exhibition Program, bringing this to more than 70 destinations nationwide. In addition, she has also organised training programmes on Basic Museum Training, Collections Management, and Conservation. She has extensive experience as well in overseas exhibition shipment management and acted as courier for overseas loans.  She was the Exhibitions Manager of Fernando Zobel. Contrapuntos, Ayala Museum’s participation as an official Collateral Event in the 57^th Venice Biennale in 2017. In recent years, she has been engaged in museum development projects in the Philippines. Her Research on Fernando Zobel Collection and Donation to the British Museum was supported by a full grant from the British Council-Connections Through Culture Programme in 2020.

Aprille is a voting member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) since 2008 and was a member of the Board of ICOM Philippines from 2019-2021. She has received training grants from ICCROM, ICOM, the Getty Foundation, and SEAMEO SPAFA.

At the British Museum

During her time on the International Training Programme Aprille was based in the Department of Asia and her partner placement was spent at Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums in Newcastle.

Aprille worked with Diana Mohamed Ahmed Digna (Sudan) on her Object in focus project. Their exhibition proposal was titled Life After Death: treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur.

Aprille’s place on the International Training Programme was generously supported by the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust.

ITP Newsletter Publications
ITP Newsletter Issue 7 (2020), Your collection in focus: Carroza by Fernando Zobel
ITP Newsletter Issue 7 (2020), Bulletin Board
ITP Newsletter Issue 8 (2021) Ethical use of digital images in Ayala Museum’s virtual programme
ITP Newsletter Issue 8 (2021) Bulletin Board
ITP Newsletter Issue 9 (2022) Visible storage at Ayala Museum offers access and sustainability programmes