You are here: Home > Message Boards > Travel > Museums and Archives >Sojourning at Salarjung Museum

Travel Discussion Forum

Travel Destinations

Travel Tips

REPLY LIST << PREVIOUS TOPIC ALL TOPICS

Museums and Archives:Sojourning at Salarjung Museum

2007-06-13

Name: Editor Do you often spend time visiting museums with your family? Do you feel that young people would benefit from the cultural artefacts showcased in India' s museums?

Subscribe to this conversation Reply Anonymously

Do you often spend time visiting museums with your family? Do you feel that young people would benefit from the cultural artefacts showcased in India' s museums? Ajit replied. Why don' t we build a new museum in India? most of the existing ones are really old. With the advent of computers and robotics we could have some really integrated experiences. There was one museum in delhi I think it was I remember it simulated walking into a coal mine. Theres something similar in science city in Calcutta though its pretty old is simulates a walk through the jurrassic period. Lets make things fun, im sure there are innovative ways to showcase these relics. Ambient sounds and what not. James Turner replied. Would love to know what Indians think of museums.

Do you think museums are an outdated way of showcasing history? Do you think the relic or artefact is best seen in its original place?
To give you an example, the famous Elephant statue that gave the Elephanta island its name is now housed in the Jeejamata (Prince of Wales) Museum in Mumbai. I personally feel the statue should be restored back to its original place.

Museums distort history by taking a single piece from a certain civilization and placing it in glass showcases and lights. The famous Egyptian artefacts are housed in many Western museums, where a visitor can hardly imagine the greatness that was Egypt.

Museums are like taking a piece of the human body and placing it in a glassbox, and expecting visitors to understand what the human body looks like.

I have nothing against museums, but I feel they are a poor way of showcasing history. digger replied. I like visiting museums and historical locations. I hope to become a marine archaeologist. Never visited this museum but I think now I will. I think history brings the past to life. globe_trotter replied. Being from Mumbai I was vaguely aware of Salarjung Museum, but knew nothing more about it. The fact that the meuseum houses a private collection is certainly noteworthy.

This article has whetted my appetite to visit Hyderabad and Salarjung.

2007-06-18

Name: Ajit
Subject:

A new Museum

Why don' t we build a new museum in India? most of the existing ones are really old. With the advent of computers and robotics we could have some really integrated experiences. There was one museum in delhi I think it was I remember it simulated walking into a coal mine. Theres something similar in science city in Calcutta though its pretty old is simulates a walk through the jurrassic period. Lets make things fun, im sure there are innovative ways to showcase these relics. Ambient sounds and what not.

2007-06-20

Name: history_buff
Subject:

To Ajit

Good idea my friend. Creative or interactive effects will definetely make museums more lively and popularise the idea of enjoying history.

But, there is also a danger of triviaising or commercialising it too much, so that the awe associated with viewing artifects from the past is substituted by cheap excitement of a bollywood thriller.

2007-06-20

Name: crazy kat
Subject:

museum

wow a museum of museums. i think that´ a cool idea. will require lot of floor space though. and how are we going to pull all those museums together??

2007-06-19

Name: anon
Subject:

Museums as relicts

Are you suggesting that the museums themselves are relicts? Then we need new museums to show case the existing ones... Ha Ha Ha.

2007-06-19

Name: Harshad
Subject:

Interesting

This is definitely an interesting idea. However it will be pretty expensive to implement. If done right though and entertaining enough for all members of the family then it might be a hit. The important thing though is maintenance and upgradation, which is lacking in most museums today.

2007-06-14

Name: James Turner
Subject:

Museums

Would love to know what Indians think of museums.

Do you think museums are an outdated way of showcasing history? Do you think the relic or artefact is best seen in its original place?
To give you an example, the famous Elephant statue that gave the Elephanta island its name is now housed in the Jeejamata (Prince of Wales) Museum in Mumbai. I personally feel the statue should be restored back to its original place.

Museums distort history by taking a single piece from a certain civilization and placing it in glass showcases and lights. The famous Egyptian artefacts are housed in many Western museums, where a visitor can hardly imagine the greatness that was Egypt.

Museums are like taking a piece of the human body and placing it in a glassbox, and expecting visitors to understand what the human body looks like.

I have nothing against museums, but I feel they are a poor way of showcasing history.

2007-06-15

Name: Bharat
Subject:

Not a good idea

I seriously doubt its a good idea for number of reasons. Number one is that museums have a regulated climate that helps to preserve the artifact. Take the mummy in the Calcutta museum. Museums should be constructed in historical monuments perhaps thats the closest you can get, examples of this are Fort St George and Gandhi´ s ashram in Pune or Indra Gandhi´ s house... that gives it the feel that you are looking for but still protecting the relics. If you keep relics outside in their historical locales access to the general public may be difficult and it it were easy I am sure the general public would vandalize it as well... face it that the Indian mentality of the masses... maybe not the noveau riche. Agreed there are always exceptions. And yes we could have a ring of guards around the artifacts to prevent these things.

2007-06-14

Name: James Turner
Subject:

Wow!

Excellent views my friend. I agree a lot of sites have been ravaged by ignorant people who do not know the damage they have done. But a lot of similar damage has been done in museums all over the world--thefts, vandalism, poor lighting, etc.

2007-06-14

Name: history_buff
Subject:

to Turner

I am an Indian and I totally agree with what you pointed out about relics being uprooted from their original context snd displayed in a manner that often disregards their original sanctity.

But what i notice is, Indians have this peculiar relationship to history or historical significance. While ancient relics or monuments hardly lose any of the veneration accorded to them, there is sometimes a total disregard of their historical value.

A very wholesome attitude on the whole, but which sometimes leads to obvious carnage - for instance when arbitrary repairs are carried out, extensions built over original structures or original fittings are replaced by modern, supposedly superior, ones.

About museums in general, i dont htink they are all that bad. Atleast they preserve the past which may have otherwise been destroyed - and make it accessible to us.

2007-06-14

#10

Name: digger
Subject:

like museums

I like visiting museums and historical locations. I hope to become a marine archaeologist. Never visited this museum but I think now I will. I think history brings the past to life.

2007-06-14

#11

Name: globe_trotter
Subject:

Interesting article

Being from Mumbai I was vaguely aware of Salarjung Museum, but knew nothing more about it. The fact that the meuseum houses a private collection is certainly noteworthy.

This article has whetted my appetite to visit Hyderabad and Salarjung.

2007-06-15

#12

Name: Lara Cruft
Subject:

Museum Gallore

Hi, India has loads of interesting museums of different sizes. Take the national museum at Kolkatta, The museums at Delhi, Pune, Cochin the list goes on an on each state has some notable museum or the other. Problem is most arent well kept they have some great relics but arent displayed well.

All tips on Travel
You ever wanted in one place.
No need to go anywhere else.
& Answers to Topic :
Sojourning at Salarjung Museum

Subscribe to this conversation! All tips on Travel
You ever wanted in one place.
No need to go anywhere else.
& Answers to Topic :
Sojourning at Salarjung Museum

Thanks for subscribing

REPLY LIST << PREVIOUS TOPIC ALL TOPICS

Expecting Parents

Routine Tests

Health Concerns

Diet and Exercise

Weight

Sex

Miscarriage and Child Loss

Parents of Babies

Sleeping

Crying & Colic

Feeding

Articles

Breastfeeding

Last 7 Posts of this Board

help pls

hey i am new to Mumbai.. can anyone tell where is the museum and hanging garden..??? actually i wan to take my kids there ... anywys thanx in advance... - tina [View Message]

have fun

museum is near gateway of India ... have a nice time enjoy tc ... hope you share your experience
... - hinal [View Message]

National Railway Museum

Has modern rail travel has lost the romance of the yesteryears? In what ways do you think India should improve its railways? Should India focus more efforts on luxury rail travel? What do you think will be the favoured mode of travel in future?... - Editor [View Message]

I saw it

I remeber visiting this place when I was a kid. The different engines fascinated me and gave me an ambition of becoming a train driver. Although I never became one, this article takes me back to my childhood. Even today, I enjoy looking at trains ... - Gaurav [View Message]

Travelling in the jet age!

How many of us travel by trains today? Hardly 10% of the population. With plane tickets so affordable now, most children start travelling in planes from toddlerhood. They have never seen the inside of a train compartment, and most probably never will…In such times, of what interest is a museum of train??... - Sonia [View Message]

Re: Travelling in the jet age!

I agree that many children born today suffer from the fate you spoke of! But that populace hardly equals the figures you quote. Most of India still reside in the B level towns and villages, and plane tickets are still a luxury there. Sure, in Delhi maybe the museum will not have many native Indian visitors. But make it mobile and I guarantee you a huge response.... - Kamyani [View Message]

Romancing trains

I so agree with Kamyani. Bilkul sahi farmaya aapne…People who love travelling will invariably have a slot in their hearts for trains. Nothing can replace it. That' s why the Eurorail and others are still very popular in nations that can afford to do most travelling by cars or planes only.... - Tyagi [View Message]

REPLY LIST << PREVIOUS TOPIC ALL TOPICS

FEATURED ARTICLES
- Poor Immunity in Kids
- Five Fun Ways to Break Fussy Eating Habits in Kids
- Top 5 Easy-to-Make Ice-Candy Recipes for Kids
- Tips for Preventing Pinworms in Children
- Signs that a Child is Anaemic
- Things You Should Never Allow Your Son to Do
- Home Remedies for Cold in Children
- Reasons Why Kids May Start Disrespecting Parents
- Indian Baby Names
- Indian Baby Girl Names
- Indian Baby Boy Names
- Top 100 Hindu Baby Names
- Free Printable Coloring Pages for Kids and Adults