PM Modi Gives Peek Into New National Museum Set to Come Up Across North & South Blocks

Inaugurating a new convention centre at the redeveloped India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) complex in Pragati Maidan on Wednesday, Prime Minster Narendra Modi gave a glimpse into the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, tipped to be one of the world’s largest when completed.

The new museum, which will replace the national museum, will have multiple thematic segments telling the story of India spanning over 5,000 years. It will be spread over 1.17 lakh square metres covering the North and South Blocks, and will have 950 rooms. The South Block houses the PMO, Defence Ministry and External Affairs Ministry, while the North Block has Finance Ministry and Home Ministry among others.

The old museum, officials said, will become part of Kartavya Path, which was previously called Rajpath.

According to Culture Ministry sources, the concept for the new museum aims to make it more interactive along the lines of other famous museums like the British Museum. It is likely to include audio visual elements and virtual walkthroughs.

The new museum was also part of the joint statement during PM Modi’s recent visit to France.

“Cooperation in the field of museums and heritage: As nations endowed with rich culture and history, India and France will intensify their joint work to showcase their heritage and pass it on to future generations. India and France welcome the signing of the Letter of Intent for the National Museum of India project,” the statement had said.

“France will offer India the benefit of its experience of major cultural projects, particularly the Grand Louvre. The retro-fitting of a Heritage Building to provision for display, storage and exhibition of archaeological antiquities, paintings, numismatics, decorative arts, etc. is exemplified by the Grand Louvre and would be an appropriate case study for the National Museum of lndia Project.”

The PM had launched a virtual walkthrough of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum in May this year.

The Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum will have “eight thematic segments” and it will showcase the rich civilisational culture of India spanning over 5,000 years, officials had said.

“These segments broadly include, ancient Indian knowledge, ancient to medieval, medieval, medieval to transition phase, modern India, colonial rule when the Dutch, the British, the Portuguese and others came to India, the freedom struggle and finally the 100 years from 1947 onwards, when we got Independence, and the vision ahead,” a PTI report had quoted a senior official as saying.

Mauryan to Gupta empires, Vijayanagara empire, Mughal empire, and rule of several other dynasties were mentioned in the walkthrough.

Ancient artefacts and other rich collections of the National Museum here are planned to be shifted to the buildings of the North and South Blocks as part of the project, a senior official had earlier said.

The foundation of the current museum building was laid by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on May 12, 1955.

The first phase of the National Museum building was formally inaugurated by then Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on December 18, 1960. The second phase was completed in 1989.