Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati

Component-I (A) – Personal details:

Tourism in India Museums and Art Galleries in India

Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

Dr. E. Sivanagi Reddy Former Director, NITHM. CEO, The Cultural Centre of Vijayawada

Prof. P Narayana Reddy REVA University, Bangalore.

Component-I (B) – Description of module:

Items Description of the Module

Name of the Subject Indian Culture

Name of the Paper Tourism in India

Title of the Module Museums and Art Galleries in India

Module Id IC / TI / 26

Pre-requisites Museums and Art galleries, Museum Tourism in India

Objectives To study Museums and its scope and importance in Tourism

Key Words Museums, Art galleries

E-Text (Quadrant-I): Introduction Museums are a central part of the tourism industry in India. Museums are cultural institutions whose prime function is education, learning and recreation. However, with the development of cultural tourism in the country, museums have become key partners in the cultural tourism industry. Learning Outcomes This chapter provides an overview of the various museums and art galleries in India, their importance and different exhibits. After reading this you will be able to understand the following:  What is a museum and an art gallery?  Importance of Museums in Tourism  Major museums and antiquities in India  Importance and functions of museums and art Galleries 1.0 Introduction to Museums and Art Galleries A museum or art gallery is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art. Museums’ ownership can be public or private. According to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) statutes, a museum is defined as a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. The general mandate of most museums is to educate their visitors about the history, cultural and natural heritage of a city, region or country or about a chosen subject of special interest, while also preserving these elements for future generations. The presence of a museum is commonly understood to indicate the presence of something valuable and relevant to be shared with the public.

As people are becoming more interested in getting cultural experiences and more tourists are becoming interested in ways to explore and understand the culture of their destination, museums have become even more important in supporting tourism by both educating and entertaining visitors. Museums are especially important to this process because they are part of an evolving, interconnected cultural life that encourages discovery of culture as a whole fabric. Museums have always been a popular choice of tourists because they offer a chance to learn about their destination as one of the primary institutions that actively exhibits and interprets local culture for them. The museum acts as a guide for a destination’s history and heritage, by providing information-in-context. The museums of a destination have become a must-see for a cultural tourist as part of a complete and authentic cultural itinerary. In Art galleries paintings are the most commonly displayed art objects; however, sculpture, decorative arts, furniture, textiles, costume, drawings, pastels, water colours, collages, prints, artists' books, photographs, and installation art are also displayed . Galleries are categorised into galleries in museums, contemporary art gallery, vanity galleries, university art museums and so on. 2.0 Major Museums and Art Galleries in India Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad The Salar Jung Museum of Hyderabad is a depository of the arty achievements of varied European, Asian and Far Eastern countries of the world. Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, popularly known as Salar Jung III has acquired the major collections in the museum. The Museum has a splendid collection of art substances and antiques of Indian origin as well as of Western, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern origins. According to the nature of collections, the Western /European collections are displayed in the Western block and Eastern collections in the Eastern block. Mixed collection including children's section, Rebecca, musical clock, Jade, Ivory etc., galleries are located in the central building. Allahabad Museum, Allahabad The Allahabad Museum is centrally located in the forested historic park called Chandrasekhar Azad Park. There are sixteen galleries in Allahabad Museum. It houses a variety of collections those include stone sculptures, terracottas, miniature paintings, modern painting, archaeological objects, coins, arms and armour, Ttextile, manuscript, farmans etc. The Medieval sculpture section comprises of Vaisnava, Satka, Saiva and Jaina images. In the modern Art Gallery, paintings of Anagarika Govinda and those of the Russian artists Nicholas and Svetoslav Roerich are displayed. The Bengal School collection comprises the works of Asit Kumar Haldar, Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy and Sudhir Ranjan Khastgir. These works are the exquisite collection of Allahabad Museum. Indian Museum, Kolkata Indian Museum was established on 2nd February, 1814. The Indian Museum, earlier known as Asiatic Museum and subsequently, as Imperial Museum, grew into the largest institution of its kind of the country as an epitome of human civilization. The Museum aims at acquisition, preservation, study in all objects of national importance and dissemination of knowledge and recreation through them. The collection highlights the oriental culture, history and natural sciences and contains some specimen of other countries also. There are six sections viz. Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Zoology, Geology and Botany with about one million holdings.

Archaeological Survey of India, Goa The museum was established in 1964 and reorganized in 1981–82. It is housed in the convent portion of the church of St. Francis of Assisi. Antiquities displayed in eight galleries include the objects from the prehistoric, early historic period and late mediaeval period. The major displays are the portrait paintings of governors and viceroys, wooden sculptures, pillars, capitals, postal stamps. Likewise, many other objects which belong to the Portuguese period in Goa are also part of the display. Archaeological Survey of India, Nagarjuna Konda, Andhra Prdaesh This is a unique island museum established to collect, preserve and exhibit the antiquities retrieved from the excavations in Nagarguna Konda area. In five well organized galleries, the museum presents precious artifacts of all cultural periods through which the valley and the region have passed. Major portion of Gallery - I is famous for the master pieces of Ikshvaku art and architecture. Located in a large hall, Galleries II and IV exhibit the decorated drum slabs, dome slabs, cornice beams and other architectural units of a stupa, and a few brahmanical sculptures of the Ikshvaku and subsequent periods. Gallery-III presents the miniature models of important excavated sites. In Gallery-V inscriptions written on pillars forming part of the structural complexes, sculptures, pedestals, memorial pillars and detached slabs are displayed. National Museum, New Delhi National Museum, New Delhi, was inaugurated in the Rashtrapati Bhawan by Shri C. Rajagopalachari, the Governor-General of India on August 15, 1949. The Museum continued to grow its collection through gifts that were sought painstakingly and artifacts were collected through its Arts Purchase Committee. The Museum presently holds approximately 2,00,000 objects of a diverse nature, both Indian as well as foreign, and its holdings cover a time span of more than five thousand years of Indian cultural heritage. Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata The Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) was founded on the initiative of Lord Curzon as a period museum in memory of Queen Victoria with particular emphasis on Indo-British history. Built on a 57acre land, it is called the ‘Taj of the Raj’ because of its recognition as the finest specimen of Indo-British architecture. The VMH collection has 28,394 artifacts displayed in nine galleries that encapsulate the history of our nation extending over three centuries beginning from 1650 A.D. The collection includes paintings in oil and water color, sketches and drawings, aquatints, lithographs, photographs, rare books and manuscripts, stamps and postal stationery, coins and medals, arms and armour, sculptures, costumes, personal relics and other miscellaneous archival documents. National Gallery of Modern Art, Benglore The National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru was set up in the place of the Manikyavelu Mansion at 49 Palace Road, Bangalore and open to the public on 18th February, 2009. Spread over an area of 3.5 acres, the gracious heritage building was transformed from a residence into an Art Gallery, with a display space of 1551 square meters to which a new gallery block with a display space of 1260 sq. m. was added. The architecture of the additional block was designed in such a fashion that it merged with the style and ambience of the heritage Manikeyavelu Mansion while fulfilling the requirements of a modern museum at the same time. The collection of NGMA mainly comprises of paintings, sculptures, graphic prints and examples of early photography in India which showcase the historical development of modern art in India.

National Rail Museum, New Delhi The National Rail Museum is located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi which focuses on the rail heritage of India. It was opened on 1st February, 1977 and is located in over 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land with both indoor and outdoor exhibits. A toy train offers rides around that site on regular days. Main attractions in this museum are Patiala State Monorail Trainways, Chief Engineer's private inspection car and many more. National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, New Delhi The National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum (NHHM) commonly known as National Crafts Museum in New Delhi is one of the largest crafts museums in India. It is run by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The museum is situated at the corner of the Pragati Maidan, facing the Purana Qila complex. Various galleries within the museum include the Tribal and Rural Craft Gallery, Gallery of Courtly Crafts, Textile Gallery, Gallery of Popular Culture etc. Some of its prized collection include, the 250-300yearold Bhoota Collection from Karnataka, rare Kashmiri 300yearold ‘dushalas’, handkerchiefs from Chamba, known for their unique embroidery, rare brocade and Baluchari saris, Kutch embroidery, precious metal jewellery and much more. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in Delhi is a museum run by the Sulabh International, which is dedicated to the global history of sanitation and toilets. The museum, established in 1992, has exhibits from 50 countries, arranged sequentially in three sections of "Ancient, Medieval and Modern", according to the period of the sanitation artifacts collected from 3000 BC till the end of the 20th century. The museum's exhibits bring out the development of the toilet related technology of the entire gamut of human history, social habits, etiquettes specific to existing sanitary situation and the legal framework in different periods. Shankar's International Dolls Museum The International Dolls Museum is a large collection of dolls in Delhi, India. It was set up by K. Shankar Pillai, a political cartoonist. It is housed in the Children's Book Trust building on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. The principal collection consists of gifts from Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and many subsequent Prime Ministers, including Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Also several embassies and diplomatic missions in Delhi gifted dolls to the museum. Visiting dignitaries like Madame Tito, Queen Frederika of Greece, the Queen of Thailand, the sister of Shah of Iran, the wives of Presidents of Mexico and Indonesia and many others gifted dolls representing their respective nations. Today, the volume has increased to 6,500 exhibits from almost 85 countries, adding to its international character. Sanskriti Museums, Delhi Established in the year 1990, Sanskriti Museums are a set of three museums namely, Museum of Everyday Art, Museum of Indian Terracotta (tribal art) and Textile Museum. It is housed within Sanskriti Kendra complex, at Anandagram, an artistic village complex, spread over eight acres, situated at 10 km south of New Delhi, near Aya Nagar on Mehrauli–Gurgaon Road, on the outskirts of Delhi. The museum was founded by O. P. Jain in 1990, under the aegis of 'Sanskriti Foundation', a New Delhi-based non-profit organization established in 1978. Some of the major exhibits are Terracotta horses, companions of Aiyanar and Tamil village God. Parliament Museum Parliament museum is a museum in the Parliament of India Library Building in New Delhi, close to the Sansad Bhavan. It was inaugurated by the then Speaker of Lok Sabha on 29 December, 1989, in Parliament House Annexe., Subsequently, it shifted to its present in a Special Hall of

the Sansadiya Gyanpeeth, Parliament Library Building, where it was inaugurated on 7 May 2002 by the then President of India, K. R. Narayanan. The interactive museum was inaugurated by the then President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Aug 15 2006. It is an interactive museum which tells us the story of freedom struggle of India. It also has rare collection of gifts from foreign delegates to the Speaker of Lok Sabha. Gandhi Smrit Gandhi Smriti formerly known as Birla House or Birla Bhavan, is a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. It is situated on Tees January Road, formerly Albuquerque Road, in New Delhi, India and was established in the year 2005. It is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life and was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Birla House opened for the public on August 15, 1973, renamed as Gandhi Smriti (or Gandhi Remembrance). The museum in the building houses a number of articles associated with Gandhi's life and death. Visitors can tour the building and grounds, viewing the preserved room where Gandhi lived and the place on the grounds where he was shot while holding his nightly public walk. The Martyr's Column now marks the place where Gandhi, the Father of the Nation was assassinated. Outside the house stands a pillar that contains a swastika symbol. The prominence of the pillar means that it has been used as a visual example of the way the ethical meaning of the swastika symbol has changed in the West in the 20th century. The same pillar also contains the Sanskrit symbol for the meditation sound, Om. National Gandhi Museum The National Gandhi Museum or Gandhi Memorial Museum is a museum located in New Delhi, India showcasing the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum first opened in Mumbai, shortly after Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. The museum was relocated several times before moving to Rajghat, New Delhi in 1961. It consists of exhibits which are of importance about Gandhi. The Gandhi Museum's library is both a showcase of Gandhi's work and a general library for studying. The books are divided into two sections, those written by or about Gandhi and books on other subjects . There are currently more than 35,000 books or documents in the museum's library. The library also has a collection of 2,000 periodicals in both English and Hindi chronicling the life of Gandhi. An exhibit showing blood-soaked loin cloth and shawl of Mahatma Gandhi and the bullet that took his life, are also there. The National Gandhi Museum Gallery has a large number of paintings and personal items of Mahatma Gandhi. The most notable items in the collection are a Satyagraha woodcut by Willemia Muller Ogterop, one of Gandhi's walking sticks, the shawl and dhoti worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated, one of the bullets that was used to kill Gandhi and his urn. The Museum also displays some of Gandhi's teeth and his ivory toothpick. Indian Air Force Museum, Palam The Indian Air Force Museum, Palam, is the museum of the Indian Air Force. It is located at the Palam Air Force Station in Delhi, India. The Museum entrance features an indoor display gallery that contains historic photographs, memorabilia, uniforms and personal weapons of the Indian Air Force from its inception in 1932. The gallery leads to a hangar exhibiting small aircraft and Air Force inventory like anti-aircraft guns, vehicles and ordnance. Larger aircraft are exhibited outside the hangar. This outdoor gallery contains aircraft that also displays several war trophies, radar equipment and captured enemies’ vehicles. The Vintage Aircraft Flight services shows some rare aircraft and maintains them in an airworthy condition. These aircraft are not open to the general public for viewing. Large transport aircraft are stored on the apron of the airbase due to lack of space. These aircraft are displayed only on the annual Air Force Day. The Museum also has a small souvenirs corner.

3. Summary There are different types of museums in India, which reflect the culture, tradition, art, history and natural heritage of the country. Most of the museums and art galleries were established for the purpose of education and learning, collection, conservation, enjoyment, research and recreation. However, as society has changed, the economic role of museums has become more important. Museums have always been a popular choice of tourists because they offer a chance to learn about their destination as one of the primary institutions that actively exhibits and interprets local culture for visitors. The museum acts as a guide for a destination’s history and heritage, by providing information-in-context. Concurrently, state and central governments have become aware of museums’ potential to add value to their local community by attracting cultural tourists. They have become key partners in the cultural tourism industry, and an important part of the creative and cultural industries of Indian tourism. Museums are changing their strategies to give greater emphasis on leisure function, multiple exhibition facilities, shops and restaurants - these are ideally placed to satisfy a range of tourists’ needs.