PM Modi Provides a Sneak Peek at the Upcoming New National Museum Across the North and South Blocks

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened a new convention center at the renovated India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) complex in Pragati Maidan. He also provided a sneak preview of the forthcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, which is expected to be one of the biggest when finished.

The new museum, which will take over the national museum’s space, will have a number of themed sections that will explain the almost 5,000-year history of India. It will contain 950 rooms and encompass 1.17 lakh square meters of the North and South Blocks. The PMO, the Defense Ministry, and the External Affairs Ministry are located in the South Block, while the Finance Ministry and the Home Ministry are located in the North Block.

According to authorities, the old museum would be integrated into Kartavya Path, also known as Rajpath.

The new museum’s design, according to sources in the Ministry of Culture, intends to make it more participatory, similar to other well-known museums like the British Museum. Virtual walkthroughs and audio-visual components are probably included.In the joint statement made during PM Modi’s recent trip to France, the new museum was also mentioned.

“India and France will step up their combined efforts to highlight their shared legacy and pass it on to future generations as richly cultural and historically endowed countries. The signing of the Letter of Intent for the National Museum of India project is welcomed by both France and India, according to the statement.

“France will provide India access to its knowledge of significant cultural undertakings, like the Grand Louvre. The Grand Louvre serves as an example of how a heritage building may be retrofitted to provide space for display, storage, and exhibition of archaeological artifacts, paintings, numismatics, decorative arts, etc. It would be a suitable case study for the National Museum of India Project.

In May of this year, the PM started a virtual tour of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum.

According to organizers, the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum will have “eight thematic segments” and would highlight the rich civilizational culture of India that dates back more than 5,000 years.

“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 senior official was quoted as saying by a PTI report.

The overview included mention of the Mauryan to Gupta, Vijayanagara, and Mughal empires, as well as the control of several other dynasties.

A senior official had previously said that as part of the project, ancient artifacts and other valuable items from the National Museum here are intended to be relocated to the buildings of the North and South Blocks.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the cornerstone for the new museum building on May 12, 1955.

On December 18, 1960, the first portion of the National Museum building was officially opened by the vice president in office at the time, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. In 1989, the second stage was finished.