Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates India’s Future Jewel: Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum

New Delhi, 27th July 2023: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new convention centre at the redeveloped India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) complex in Pragati Maidan. During the event, he offered a glimpse into the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest museums upon completion.

Replacing the existing national museum, the new museum will be a vast complex with multiple thematic segments that narrate India’s history spanning over 5,000 years. Covering an area of 1.17 lakh square metres, the museum will spread across the North and South Blocks, comprising a total of 950 rooms. Notably, the South Block currently houses important government offices like the Prime Minister’s Office, Defense Ministry, and External Affairs Ministry, while the North Block accommodates the Finance Ministry and Home Ministry, among others.

The old museum will find its place in the Kartavya Path, previously known as Rajpath, as part of the redevelopment plan.

According to sources from the Culture Ministry, the concept for the new museum aims to create an interactive experience, inspired by renowned museums like the British Museum. It is likely to incorporate audiovisual elements and virtual walkthroughs to enhance visitor engagement.

The project for the new museum was highlighted in a joint statement during Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to France. The statement emphasized India and France’s commitment to promoting their cultural heritage and collaborating on the National Museum of India project. France’s expertise in cultural projects, such as the Grand Louvre, will be shared to help develop the new museum.

In May of the current year, Prime Minister Modi launched a virtual walkthrough of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum. The museum will be divided into “eight thematic segments,” showcasing India’s rich civilization and culture through different historical eras, including ancient, medieval, colonial rule, the freedom struggle, and the post-independence era.

The plan involves shifting ancient artefacts and valuable collections from the existing National Museum to the North and South Blocks as part of the overall project.

To provide some historical context, the foundation stone for the current museum building was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on May 12, 1955. Then-Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan officiated the inauguration of the first phase of the National Museum building on December 18, 1960. Subsequently, the second phase reached completion in 1989.