Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The City Museum, showcasing the past of Bhopal, will open to the public at the 178-year-old Moti Mahal next year.
With 11 galleries spanning 20,000 square feet, it will house remains from Bhopal’s past, ranging from rock paintings discovered around the city to exhibits from the Nawabs' rule. The MP State Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) is developing the museum at Rs 25 crore.
Moti Mahal served as the residence of Sikandar Begum, the Nawab of Bhopal, and was built in 1847. It was named after the ruler’s pet name.
Designed by Shikha Drona, an architect from Delhi, the City Museum will span two floors. The ground floor will have a waiting room, ticket counter, building orientation and museum orientation maps, a souvenir shop, a cafe, a library, and the following galleries: Mahakaushal and the City of Lakes, Raja Bhoj and the Region, and Lifestyle and Royal Lineages, besides a temporary museum.
The first floor will house eight galleries, including Creating a Capital Bhopal, Creativity Through the Ages, Independence and Beyond, Smart City and Beyond, Communities and People, Women of Bhopal, and Timeline of Ruling Dynasties of MP. Both floors will also have a temporary gallery each.
Meanwhile, the Royal Collection Gallery at the State Museum in the city, which houses exhibits from the Nawabi era, may be shifted to the new museum, which will also have a digital gallery where visitors will be able to get glimpses of the city’s history and beauty through 3D animation.
Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Executive EngineerBrajesh Tiwari said that the restoration of the building, which was in a dilapidated condition, is almost complete, and work on interiors will begin soon.
The subject matter expert team of the museum has already visited several museums in the country to identify exhibits related to Bhopal. “The museum work will be completed by the end of December. It will open to the public next year, most probably in January,” he adds.
