“Real museums are places where Time is transformed into Space” - Orhan Pamuk, The Museum of Innocence.

Originating from Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, Museums were considered to be repositories of antiquities and institutions that preserved the vestiges of the colonial past. Over the course of time, Museums have spread across the world to accommodate and enrich the socio-cultural perspectives of the local communities where they are situated. Presently, Museums serve as spaces for social interaction, learning, and cultural education especially for the young, growing minds. Often when we visit new cities, museums remain an essential part of the to-do list!

Did you know that India has close to 1200 museums set up over the last 140 years? As per the first Survey Report on the state of Museums, India had just 105 museums till 1936. With interventions by the Ministry of Culture, namely through the Museum Grants Scheme and the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science, 383 more museums have been set up since the beginning of this millennium. In recent years, the country has also witnessed museums emerging in smaller cities and towns, beyond the metropolitan hubs. Offbeat museums like Jodhpur’s Arna Jharna Desert Museum, Ajrakhpur’s Living & Learning Design Centre, or Mayong’s Black Magic & Witchcraft Museum, reflect the growing significance of preserving cultural heritage even among the smallest of communities.

In Punjab, the Abohar municipal corporation had launched the ‘Abohar History Project’ in 2021, led by history professor Yogesh Snehi to collect artefacts and stories from residents to showcase the town's past glory. Through citizen engagement, contributions are being made to consolidate Abohar’s city museum that celebrates its heritage as a hub for horse breeding and cotton trade. In Kargil, Ajaz Hussain Munshi runs the Munshi Aziz Bhat Museum of Central Asian And Kargil Trade Artefacts, preserving the pivotal role the city has played in the long heritage of the Silk Route. Family-run museums like this are enriching “micro-historical identities”, offering insights beyond national narratives.

Similarly, the Conflictorium is a participatory museum that sheds light through its uniquely curated exhibitions on regional, interpersonal, as well as personal conflicts. While the first Conflictorium came up in Ahmedabad over a decade ago, recently in 2022, a second wing was established in Raipur. Locally contextualised exhibits have depicted not only the insurgency which has affected Chhattisgarh, but also man-animal conflicts, caste dictations, and communal tensions within the region. Meanwhile, independent museums such as the Bidisa Anthropology Museum near Midnapore, Jhargram’s Tribal Museum Garden, and Dumka’s Johar Human Resources Development Centre are archiving India’s indigenous heritage.

While such initiatives and unique museums have been commendable for the country’s cultural development, they are undergoing several challenges. For example, despite notable institutions like the Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba and the Museum of Kangra Art, neglect has hindered the potential of Himachal Pradesh’s museums. Lack of maintenance due to bureaucratic apathy, along with high fees of entrance has discouraged visitors. According to museologist and conservator, Vinod Daniel India’s museums haven’t significantly progressed due to outdated approaches, neglect of conservation, and lack of research. Despite international movements advocating modernization, many Indian museums lack an immersive experience. Furthermore, the country’s museum landscape lacks visionary leaders who can anchor the evolving expectations of audiences.

Funding remains a significant challenge for Indian museums, with limited financial resources often hindering their ability to expand collections, develop exhibitions, and implement educational programs. The lack of footfall, especially for community museums in smaller cities and towns, is a more visible challenge. According to the 2017-18 Annual Report of India’s Ministry of Culture, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi recorded an annual footfall of 2.25 lakh visitors. This is in stark contrast with The Louvre in Paris, which drew 102 lakh visitors in the same year. While this is the scenario for a premier national art gallery in India, the lack of interest towards smaller museums is much worse.

Many experts attribute low interest in museums to the lack of cultural history education and “museum-going culture” in schools. To solve this, the government-owned Bihar Museum in Patna is pioneering a scheme to engage the state's young population in art and culture. Since 2019, Bihar's Ministry of Education has allocated funds for primary school visits to the museum. Before the Covid-19 pandemic briefly limited the reach of this scheme, 33,000 students from 1,000 schools had visited the museum in the span of just one year. Children now consistently make up around 25% of the museum’s footfall, which was calculated at 19,228 for February 2022. Post-pandemic, digitization and use of technology has also accelerated in even smaller museums, like the Shina Cultural Centre in Gurez. The first museum dedicated to the Dard-Shina tribal community’s contributions towards nation-building, this institution has a mix of digital displays, artefacts, textiles, and interactive boards.

Apart from these new developments, the organisation of Biennales (large international exhibitions held every two years) in cities like Kochi and Patna, away from the National Capital in India has created an impact. The 2023 Bihar Museum Biennale challenged traditional museum perceptions by offering a dynamic platform for cultural exchange of local communities with global perspectives. Furthermore, platforms like the International Council of Museums (ICOM) are providing valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration, enabling small city museums to learn from the experiences and best practices from the expertise of the larger collective. India’s small city museums require such investments and support from government agencies, cultural organisations, and citizens to realise their full potential in preserving and promoting local heritage.

For International Museum Day 2024, the ICOM has invited people to “Rethink education and imagine a future where knowledge sharing transcends barriers, where innovation unites with tradition.” Through family history archives, thematic exhibitions, and technological innovation, museums in smaller cities and towns of India have begun to play a vital role in creating spaces of social change and cultural enrichment.

Does your city have any unique museums? How are authorities or communities in your city safeguarding local heritage? Let us know in the comments below!