▁Catal an - born ▁Joan ▁Dur an ▁raised ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁building ▁a ▁national ▁museum ▁in ▁Bel m op an ▁with ▁the ▁minister ▁of ▁education ▁a ▁week ▁after ▁Bel ize ▁gained ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁the ▁People ' s ▁United ▁Party ▁government ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁concept ▁with ▁Mexican ▁and ▁Cub an ▁colle agues . ▁The ▁museum ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁primarily ▁devoted ▁to ▁audio - visual ▁displays ▁while ▁a ▁separate ▁building ▁would ▁house ▁the ▁collection . ▁ ▁The ▁project ▁was ▁abandoned ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁when ▁the ▁People ' s ▁United ▁Party ▁lost ▁the ▁election . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 – 8 9 ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁planning ▁for ▁a ▁national ▁museum ▁and ▁botan ical ▁garden ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁a ▁British ▁consult ing ▁firm . ▁A ▁Cre ole ▁arch ae ologist ▁was ▁trained ▁in ▁London ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁future ▁director , ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁department ▁of ▁museum s . ▁The ▁People ' s ▁United ▁Party ▁reg ained ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁election , ▁and ▁Dur an ▁was ▁again ▁placed ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁planning ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Museum ▁of ▁Bel ize , ▁while ▁Dur an ' s ▁wife ▁was ▁put ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁arch ae ological ▁collection . ▁ ▁The ▁museum ▁building ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁Museum ▁of ▁Bel ize ▁in ▁Bel m op an , ▁designed ▁by ▁Mexican ▁architect s