Delhi's new national museum building has a French connection

The current building was designed by architect Ganesh Bikaji Deolalikar and the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on May 12, 1955- Delhi Tourism

Britain and Paris are what comes to one’s mind when we think of the world’s largest museums. But that may change soon. India is all set to house Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, the world’s largest in the heart of New Delhi.  Spread over 1.17 lakh square metres, the museum will be located in the North and South blocks in Raisina Hill in the national capital.

According to Indian Express, the possession of the museum will likely be taken by the Ministry of Culture by March 2025. The current museum building on Janpath in New Delhi may be shut to researchers by the end of the year and the building may be demolished in March 2024. The National Museum, which houses artefacts from the prehistoric period to the contemporary era, represents over 5,000 years of Indian art and craftsmanship. A suitable space for storage of the museum objects is yet to be finalised. The current building was designed by architect Ganesh Bikaji Deolalikar and the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on May 12, 1955.

The new building

Yuge Yugeen Bharat is a Sanskrit phrase which means “everlasting India”.  Timelessness of India is the theme of the new building which will showcase the country’s heritage across eight segments. The museum will have 950 rooms across three storeys and a basement.  India’s ancient town planning systems, the Vedas, Upanishads, ancient medical knowledge, and a number of empires including Mauryan, Gupta, Vijayanagara and Mughal will be on display.

In July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said India and France had inked a partnership for the establishment of the new National Museum.

According to a report by The Economic Times, the project will be spearheaded by the Agence France-Museums which involves thirteen French public cultural establishments, including the Musee’ de Louvre, Musee’ d’Orsay, Musee de l’orangerie and the Reunion des Musees Nationaux – Grand Palais among others. The retrofitting of a heritage building to accommodate the display, storage, and exhibition of various artefacts, like the Louvre Palace, will be applied to this  project. “The new museum is aimed to be more interactive, and is expected to incorporate audiovisual elements and virtual walkthroughs,” officials told Indian Express.  The museum will also highlight India’s contributions to mathematics, science and technology.

Union Minister of State for Culture Meenakashi Lekhi has told the newspaper that the current National Museum building will become part of the Kartavya Path and the annexes of the Kartavya Path.