Ministry of Culture Hosts Workshop for Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum Development

New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture recently concluded a four-day inter-ministerial stakeholder consultation and capacity-building workshop dedicated to the upcoming Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum, set to be built in the North and South Block as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. Held from June 26 to 29, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the workshop’s final day was graced by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and senior Ministry officials, including Secretary Govind Mohan and Dr. Thierry Mathou, French Ambassador to India.

The consultation brought together individuals from both the private and government museum ecosystems to deliberate on the Yuga Yugeen Bharat (The Timeless and Eternal India) Museum. Capacity building was led by experts from France Muséums, an international museum consultancy.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on the concluding day, stated, “This museum will stand as a testament to India’s rich heritage and its unwavering spirit of progress, drawing inspiration from its past as a blueprint. The Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum will transcend the traditional museum experience, embodying the spirit of inclusivity. It will be a museum of the people, centring community narratives – a testament to India’s legacy as the mother of Democracy.”

Set to become the largest museum in the world, the new National Museum of India will span over 1,54,000 sqm within the Central Vista Redevelopment project near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi first unveiled a video walkthrough of the museum at the inauguration of the first International Museum Expo on May 18, 2023, and reiterated it during the inauguration of the Bharat Mandapam in July 2023.

The museum will be developed through Adaptive Reuse, in collaboration with France, owing to their expertise in similar projects such as the Louvre. This partnership stems from a long-standing friendship between the two countries, formalized through a Letter of Intent signed in 2020 emphasizing Museum & Heritage Cooperation.

The GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) Division of the Ministry of Culture spearheaded a series of capacity-building workshops aiming to foster alignment among stakeholders and generate synergy for a unified vision. The first session, held on June 14, brought together various ministries and departments of the Government of India, promoting interdepartmental coordination and ensuring the project resonates with diverse facets of Indian society.

Following this, an intensive four-day brainstorming session from June 26 to 29 involved stakeholders from the museum ecosystem, including high-level management from government museums, private experts such as conservation architects, scenographers, exhibition designers, publishers, conservationists, and educators.