Museums and art galleries play a great role in exhibiting a place's rich culture and heritage. They reflect the times of the history that are otherwise unknown to us. Each museum has a story to tell, a past to be explored. Let us visit the Government Museum of Art Gallery in Chandigarh that is said to have its existence linked to the partition of India.
The Legend Behind the Museum
Before Indian independence, the museum was located in Lahore, which was the then capital of Punjab. After the partition of India and Pakistan, around 60% of the objects, paintings, sculptures, paintings and other items were retained by Pakistan, and the rest 40% were India's share. The museum in India was first housed in Amritsar, then got shifted to Shimla, Patiala and finally to Chandigarh.Inside the Museum
Apart from the beautifully done architecture of the museum, the museums has other museums and galleries within it like Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, Chandigarh Architecture Museum and National Gallery of Portraits.
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Significance of the Artefacts
The Art Gallery consists of various sections like Gandhara sculptures, ancient Indian sculptures, Indian miniature paintings, Medieval Indian sculptures, metal sculptures, epigraphy and numismatics and decorative art to name a few.
The Natural History Museum includes sections related to Dinosaurs, Evolution of Man, Cyclorama Evolution of Life, Nature in Art and Manuscript Section.
The National Gallery of Portraits showcase images related to the freedom struggle of India, portraits and paintings of freedom fighters, murals and other documents related to the Indian independence.
Chandigarh Architecture Museum is a depiction of the history of Chandigarh. From the planning of the place to the drawings, sketches, models and other tools related to the evolution of the city are displayed in this museum.
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Activities At The Museum
Contemporary exhibitions are held here by artists from different regions. Apart from this, the centre is also a venue for seminars, workshops and other programs related to the study of art, culture and other creative fields.
Other Attractions of the Museum
Sound and Light Show is held here on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during evenings except on gazetted holidays. Special guided tours are available here in English, Hindi and French which can be availed by the visitors.
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Tourist Attractions Near The Museum
Other attractions in Chandigarh worth exploring are Rock Garden, Capitol Complex, Rose Garden, Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and the Hidden Valley among the rest.
Travel and explore the first planned city of India, Chandigarh!