Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition Study on Exhibition Facility A museum and galleries for Varanasi’s history, culture and art were requested from Varanasi Municipality to be developed as a part of VCC. Therefore, the needs for the museum/galleries in Varanasi were studied. However, due to the budgetary limitation for the Phase 1 (under JICA Grant Aid), museums/galleries are proposed as buildings to be developed in Phase 2. 1. Existing Facilities in Varanasi In order to understand the situation of the museums/galleries and facilities in Varanasi and India, JST conducted a survey on the existing museums/galleries and tourism facilities. The results of the survey are summarized as follows: (1) Infrastructure for Tourists in Varanasi As described in Chapter 3, Varanasi received approximately 6 million tourists in 2015, and the tourist inflow in Varanasi has had an annual growth of 6.3%. Out of the 6 million, 94.7% are domestic tourists and only 5.3% are foreigners. Although Varanasi is one of the world’s most famous tourism destinations, one of the key factors is an inadequate support infrastructure for tourists, such as inadequate hotel rooms, hygienic and quality food outlets, lack of guided tours and information centres. UP State Tourism Policy highlights key challenges for tourism development in Varanasi. English is the semi-official language in India, but not much information is provided in English at the tourist destinations or on the street. There are three tourist information centres in Varanasi and Sarnath, however more tourist information centres are highly demanded in Varanasi. (2) Museums in Varanasi There are several museums in Varanasi, but it was recognized that there is no place that shows a comprehensive history and the culture of Varanasi. There is a need, which was pointed out by several organizations in Varanasi, for an exhibition facility that can give an introduction to Varanasi, for example the city’s highlights, topography, Ganga, Hindi, event information, access information (transportation/web), restrooms, etc. to tourists. A-5-1 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition Bharat Kala Bhavan (BHU museum) Sarnath Museum Museum in the BHU, with more than 100,000 Museum to introduce history and architecture in artefacts/objects. Sarnath. Silk Khazana Factory & Store Craft Museum Organized by association of silk factories. Space for Newly developed museum for textiles in presenting weaving method of Varansi’s silk is Varanasi, opened in December 2016. attached to the Silk shop. 2. Study on Conceptual Plan for Exhibition/Museum in VCC 2.1. Outline of exhibition In the discussions between the Governments of Japan and India, the exhibition plan of this convention centre project is organized as follows. Emphasis is placed on environmental education and enlightenment. A-5-2 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition Table 1 Outline of Exhibition Basic policy of GOJ and GOI on VCC project - To be a symbol of friendship between Japan and India - To be integrated into the “Ganga Rejuvenation project” Theme Method Expected function a) Environmental education By exhibition / training etc. a) Awareness raising b) Sanitary education (toilet concerning the use etc.) environment and c) Sewerage sanitation d) History of river purification b) Promoting understanding in Japan about the importance of e) History, culture and promoting sewerage ecology of Ganga improvement and toilet use Source: JST, based on business instruction sheet of this project Interviews with stakeholders in Varanasi indicated that there was a greater need for introducing local cultures than environmental education. In other words, there are many tourists in Varanasi, but there is no facility that introduces what kind of city Varanasi is. The stakeholders demanded such a facility that has such a function. 2.2. Basic policy for Exhibition Consideration regarding the exhibition theme is summarized below, based on the field and document survey etc. Table 2 Considerations on the Exhibition Theme Considerations Contents a) Symbol Suitable for the city's core facilities b) Majesty Worthy of Hindu holy land c) Target demographic Gender and age of the exhibition target are clear d) Novelty Can only be experienced in this facility e) Theme Introduction/ Presentation of Varanasi’s culture and art Introduction of Varanasi's history, topography, industries The life of people in Varanasi around Ganga Source: JST A-5-3 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition In addition, whether the facility’s function is as a convention centre or for cultural activity, the following contents are required as exhibition contents in addition to "Varanasi as a sacred place of Hinduism". • Varanasi's pride for the citizens • Children-friendly facilities • Promotion of Varanasi for tourists and visitors from abroad In addition to environmental education, we also focus on introducing tourism resources in Varanasi. As a result, the following exhibition themes were extracted. Then, depending on the area of the exhibition, we will choose from these. Table 3 Proposed theme of museum: stockpot of Varanasi Theme Contents a) Introduction Outline of Varanasi Geography History b) “Namami Ganga” Outline of Ganga Reincarnation Life with ghats Water environment c) Culture & Handcrafts Religious city (mainly Hindi) Silk sari/ metal products Music (Registered as a creative city by UNESCO) Ayurveda, Yoga d) Introduction of Other Sightseeing Sarnath Places BHU museum (Bharat Kala Bhavan) Hindi temple (Bharat Mata Mandir) e) Vibrant City Varanasi Old area information f) People from Varanasi Arts, music and entertainment Literature and academics Politics Royalty Sports Others g) Clean Varanasi Sewerage project Public toilet project A-5-4 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition Garbage project h) Tie-up JICA project information Kyoto City information Source: JST 2.3. Expected visitors Visitors for the exhibition in VCC are expected as follows. Table 4 Expected visitors Category Men Women Infants & Adults Infants & Adults students students Age 0-9 10-17 18-39 40- 0-9 10-17 18-39 40- Local residents B A B C B A B C Indian tourists B B A A B B A A Foreign tourists C C A A C C A A Legend: A - main target, B - sub target, C minor target. Note: Indian adult (≥18 years old). Source: JST 3 Study on exhibition facilities This section describes the exhibition facilities and methods. The contents of the exhibition for each exhibition theme will be described in the next section. 3.1. Features and points to remember about each exhibition method The appropriate exhibition methods are selected from the following: (1) Theatre Moving picture theatres have been around since 1900, with images projected by a projector onto a big screen. Recently, it has become possible to create a theatre space more easily than before by combining commercially available computers, projectors, and software. Also, projection mapping which can project to non-screen surfaces is also widespread. (2) Gallery A-5-5 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition The gallery is very classic and the most conventional display method in museums. On the other hand, trick art or scale models are sometimes adopted depending on the constraints (weight, height, etc.) of the installation place. If a gallery can be installed, the exhibition can be more appealing and effective. (3) Display Liquid crystal panels and processors controlling them have become high-performance and inexpensive, thus the hurdles to introduction of exhibition equipment have been lowered. After that, it is necessary to produce attractive contents commensurate with the introduction of this equipment. There are various sizes of displays, and now wearable terminals and virtual reality (VR) goggles are prevalent worldwide. (4) Maps The map is an effective exhibition method for indicating the positional relationship of the object. Recently, geographical information systems (GIS) linking various kinds of information to maps have been spreading, mainly in developed countries. (5) Panels Exhibits by panels are easier to introduce, because the cost of the equipment is generally less expensive than others. The display content is fixed and the display area is easily restricted. Also, when installing multiple pieces, placement considering flow lines is necessary. (6) Others The experience type exhibition is an example. In order to attract visitors to an exhibition, it is important to know how to capture the interest of the visitors. Especially for plain or difficult subjects, it is advantageous to introduce some form of novelty in the exhibition format to get the visitors to stop and engage in the exhibit. This trend is prominent in children. Experience type exhibitions can be freely touched in the exhibition space. To be safe for children and easy to understand, it is usually simplified. 3.2. Other points of attention Other points of attention are as follows. A-5-6 Appendix-5 Study on the Exhibition • Mainly as indoor exhibition. • In order to make it possible to publish the latest information, it shall have a variable exhibition form and exhibition system. • Commentary panels and signs in the hall should be in both Hindi and English. • Utilizing a universal design for both hardware and software, create an exhibition environment open to everyone. • When choosing between a case exhibition or exposure exhibition, consider the exhibition concept of each corner in addition to the characteristics of the material. • Hands-on etc., incorporate hands-on exhibition methods together with other forms. • Exhibition methods such as hands-on etc. should also be adopted. • In order to deal with diverse age groups, it is necessary to devise a broadly attractive type and arrangement of materials to be displayed. • Showing characteristic numbers by infographics is effective. 3.3. Exhibition commentary Based on the survey results of museums in Delhi and Varanasi, exhibition plans considering the following points are necessary. • A method that will become the centrepiece of the exhibition: Things that can be experienced at once in a group.