Reopening of Government Museum in Bengaluru misses deadline, renovation expected to take one more year due to slow pace of work

The museum is undergoing renovation. Officials had said that of the 22 categories of objects in the museum, only eight categories had been displayed based on available space. The renovation is expected to amplify the space to display the remaining categories.  

The Government Museum on Kasturba Road, which has been shut for over a year for restoration work, is likely to remain closed for one more year. This is owing to the museum running low on storage space and funds, which has slowed down restoration work. The museum is being renovated and curated for the first time after close to 150 years.

The adjoining Venkatappa Art Gallery was also shut keeping in mind the safety of visitors during restoration work at the museum. However, the Venkatappa Art Gallery is expected to be opened to the public in about three months.

The Department of Tourism had directed the Karnataka Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL) to upgrade, undertake conservation and curation of the Government Museum citing the deplorable condition of the heritage building and the inadequate display space in the premises. After four years of planning, the museum was shut down for restoration work in June 2023. The work was to be completed in about a year.

Officials had said that of the 22 categories of objects in the museum, only eight categories had been displayed based on available space. The renovation is expected to amplify the space to display the remaining categories.  

Tharakesh T., Archaeological Conservation Engineer, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, told The Hindu that work is in progress in the old block and is expected to be completed by the end of August this year. However, the new block will take another 6-8 months. “Work is in progress, but space is a constraint. We have only one storage space to keep the valuable antiques and artefacts. Once the old block is completed, we will shift the valuables there and begin work in the new block,” he explained.

The museum was allotted ₹5.53 crore by the Government of Karnataka for conservation. “But we will require more funds for interiors and sight development outside the museum, like landscaping, parking lot, information kiosks, and development of the cafeteria. We are trying to get all the pending work done through CSR activities, and are on the lookout for donors. It will easily take another year for completion of the renovation and for the museum to be opened to the public,” he said.