Bengaluru: A city of museums

Bengaluru might be known as the pub capital and Silicon Valley of the country, but the art and culture scenario here is something which is not always in the spotlight. While museums are often associated with ancient artefacts and historical figures, those in Bengaluru are now shedding that image with dedicated ones coming up for photography, music and other fields. Thousands of people visit them daily, and the numbers shoot up during weekends. The Hindu made a date with museums in the city to find out how these spaces are doing in the post-pandemic times while also exploring the diverse exhibits on display

A favourite among both children and adults, Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technical Museum, located in the heart of the city on Kasturba Road, is an integral part of the Bengaluru museum trail. Spread over four floors, the museum, which is a haven for science enthusiasts, has sections for space technology and biotechnology, besides a fun zone and a dinosaur enclave. The fun zone is where visitors spend most of the time, while the other galleries get people interested in the respective subjects.

The infinity well, where the bottom of the well cannot be seen, the machine that tells you the water weight of one’s body, and the mirror arrangement, where one can see their back, are among the many attractive displays.

The footfall at the five-decade-old museum has increased from 1,44,265 public visitors and 3,624 students in 2021–22 to 1,74,795 public visitors and 1,18,374 students between April 2022 and January 2023.

“I have a passion for science and enjoy visiting this museum. I come here at least once every month. I like doing all the activities here,” said Daivik Gowda, a student who was at the museum with his parents.

“We have been coming here for decades, and now we are here with our grandchildren, who are thoroughly enjoying the scientific models here,” said Vishalakshi and Prabhakar.

Adjacent to Visvesvaraya Museum stands the second oldest museum in South India, established in 1865. Even though 700–800 people visit this museum every day, with the number going upwards of 1,000 on weekends and holidays, the infrastructure at the Government Museum begs for improvement.

While it hosts a range of exhibits, from the oldest known Kannada inscription, Halmidi Shasana, to artefacts from Hoysala and Ganga ages, the descriptions here do not do justice to the story behind them.