India's First Sunken Museum opened at Humayun's Tomb Complex

India's first sunken museum opened at Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi on July 29, 2024. Developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Museum Overview and Inauguration

India's first sunken museum opened at the Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi on July 29, 2024.
Inaugurated by Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Prince Rahim Aga Khan.
Open to visitors from July 30, 2024.
Developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India.
Coincides with the 46th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in New Delhi.
Layout inspired by traditional Indian 'baolis' (stepwells).
Located at the entrance of the World Heritage complex.
Links Humayun's Tomb with Sunder Nursery and Nizamuddin Basti.

Exhibits and Technological Features

Displays over 500 never-before-seen artifacts.

Highlights include:

- Mughal miniatures and manuscripts
- Architectural elements
- Coins and stone inscriptions
- Glassware and textiles
- Astrolabes and celestial spheres
Immersive gallery with 270-degree screen for virtual tours.
Animated feature showing the evolution of Humayun's Tomb over 500 years.
3-D videos recreating the timeline of the 14th-century shrine's construction.
Detailed wooden scale models of the Nizamuddin Dargah complex.
Rare items such as 'farmans' (decrees), a 1840s celestial sphere, and a 16th/17th-century warrior's helmet.
Centerpiece: The restored finial of Humayun's Tomb, knocked off in a 2014 storm.

Significance and Impact

First-of-its-kind museum in India, potentially serving as a prototype for other sites.
Culmination of 25 years of conservation efforts in the 300-acre site.
Bridges the gap between history and the present day.
Showcases the legacy of Mughal emperor Humayun and the Nizamuddin area's 700-year heritage.
Demonstrates successful public-private partnership in heritage conservation.
Aims to boost tourism and cultural awareness.
Provides insight into traditional craftsmanship.
Described as an "incredible addition to the cultural landscape of Delhi" by the Culture Minister.
Preserves and reveals the story of humanity, according to Prince Rahim Aga Khan.
Ebba Koch, a leading authority on Mughal architecture, called it a "new monument for the Mughals and a great gift to Delhi and India."

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