Bhubaneswar: To attract more visitors to the State Museum, the State Government has decided to give a complete new look to the museum located in the capital city Bhubaneswar.
Odisha Language Literature and Culture, Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi has recently visited the museum and held a meeting with concerned officers for redevelopment of the museum.
Shri Sethi advised the officers to set up a Souvenir Shop and Cafeteria to attract more visitors to the Museum at the space approved. The access route for persons with disabilities will be relocated to the front entrance.
An aquarium to be set up in the garden area in the Cactus Section inside the Museum premises. The Aquarium Gallery will be organized for 32 “Veshas” of Shree Jagannath, officials said.
During the visit, the Principal Secretary asked the officials to remove all fiber works displayed in the entrance hall. An expert committee will be formed to determine and suggest the appropriate action in the matter. The Committee will also suggest appropriate interior designing of the galleries, they said.
Similarly, the Archaeology Gallery, along with the Epigraphy and Numismatic Galleries, will be presented in a clear chronological and thematic manner, showcasing themes such as Jainism, Buddhism, Shaktism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism. All galleries will be decorated in a digital format, and an expert committee shall be formed to oversee this work.
The current state of the Mining and Geology Gallery will be redeveloped and refined. The glass system of Puppet and Mask Gallery will also be changed for cleaning purposes.
The Art Gallery will be further working under the Odisha State Museum Administration, instead of the Odisha Lalit Kala Akademy. The Akademy will organize different exhibitions from time to time as and when required, the officials informed.
The entire walls, both inside and outside of the Museum, will be adorned with pieces of red sandstone, which will enhance the aesthetic appearance of the Museum. The facade of the Museum will be decorated on the lines of Ratnagiri Gate.
As the Museum premises continue to improve, a reputed cleaning and Gardening agency (similar to those employed at the Airport, Secretariat, Kharavela Bhawan, etc.,) will be contracted for cleaning services.
It was decided that the Harekrushna Mahatab Memorial Corner will be set up on the ground floor of the Odisha State Museum. The work should commence soon to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Mahatab.
Audio-visual guide systems should be introduced in all galleries to attract more visitors like other National and International Museums.
The statues of Gandhi and other great sons may be made in Bronze for better preservation.
Sethi asked to release funds for PWD and WATCO works to the agencies as soon as possible from the Capital Outlay fund from the Directorate of Culture.
He asked the concerned officers to complete the works on a war-footing basis before the celebration of Prabashi Bharatiya Conclave to be held in Bhubaneswar in January 2025.