PM Modi to unveil 'virtual walkthrough' of upcoming museum at North, South Blocks next week

The "virtual walkthrough" will provide a "digital glimpse" into what will be the upcoming museum at the North and South Blocks, Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi said (File image)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a "virtual walkthrough" providing a digital glimpse into what will be the upcoming museum at the British-era North and South Blocks on May 18, officials said on Wednesday.

The walkthrough will be unveiled on the day of the inauguration of a three-day International Museum Exposition in New Delhi during which a host of cultural activities will be organised, they said.

According to a booklet on the expo shared by the culture ministry with reporters ahead of a press conference held at the National Museum premises, the upcoming museum will be called Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, and it will showcase the rich civilisational culture of India spanning over 5,000 years.

The new museum will cover an area of 1.17 lakh sq m with 950 rooms spread over a basement, ground and two more floors.

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 a project, a senior official said.

On May 18, the prime minister will inaugurate the expo that will be held from May 18-20 at Pragati Maidan and will also commemorate International Museum Day on May 18.

The "virtual walkthrough" will provide a "digital glimpse" into what will be the upcoming museum at the North and South Blocks, Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi said on the sidelines of the press conference.

"It (virtual walkthrough) will be a virtual representation of what is going to happen at the North Block and South Block. Because, all the galleries of the National Museum are going to be shifted there. And, it's part of a plan that is going to be executed. This is what is going to happen in future, and we are at work," she said during the media interaction on the upcoming expo.

Asked about the timeline of the new museum project, she said, the government always works with timelines, and "we try to finish before timeline".

In 2021, the government said the two blocks will house a museum.

The North and South Blocks, part of the Central Secretariat, currently house various ministries and departments, and its iconic buildings exude a charm of an era gone by.

The South Block houses the External Affairs Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, while the North Block has the ministries of finance and home.

The two identical blocks on the Raisina Hill along with the Rashtrapati Bhavan (earlier Viceroy House), symbols of architectural grandeur and administrative power, were built as part of the 'New Delhi' imperial capital that was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, between 1911-1931.

The new capital was formally inaugurated by the then Viceroy Lord Irwin in February 1931.

The Rajpath -- a ceremonial axis that runs from India Gate to Raisina Hill -- was in September last year renamed to Kartavya Path by the government, and the revamped Central Vista lawns were thrown open to the public.

Asked what will happen to the current National Museum building, Lekhi said, this will become part of the Kartavya Path and the annexes of Kartavya Path.

The foundation of the present building was laid by first 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.

On the repatriation of ancient artefacts, Lekhi said, ever since "our government came to power, it has been working very hard to bring back artefacts, and the inspiration lies with the PM for constantly guiding us, and he told us to work very hard on these subjects".

And, more than 200 objects we have brought back in the last eight-and-a-half years, she said, adding, at the policy level, "When we are having a conversation around culture and part of the G20, the focus has been on returning objects to places of their origin".

"Many basements in many universities and places are carrying the artefacts of people who are living, are alive. And, relating it to the Northeast of my country. So, many art pieces in the name of art were taken away at the time of imperial powers at the time of our subjugation... They belong to the people and the government of India is pursuing those matters to bring it back to the very people they belong to," she said.