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Bengaluru to celebrate the stories that Museums tell

The Tourism Department, Government of Karnataka announces special events and celebrations to commemorate International Museum Day.

“Once upon a time, even the most powerful engines were powered by rice husk, charcoal & firewood!”

“One of the oldest Kannada inscriptions was discovered on a sandstone carving dating back many centuries.”

“Pots with legs! An ancient travel accessory that avoided the need to search for stones to place pots over while cooking.”

 It all started once upon a time…

Humanity has always benefitted from its ability to codify and pass on information to the next generation. This penchant for stories has helped us in no small measure to flourish as a race. The myriad objects and materials we have shaped over time tell multilayered stories of our journey through the ages. No institution collects and preserves this better than our museums. From the artefacts to the building itself, every museum has a story to tell.

The Department of Tourism, and Department of Kannada and Culture in association with prominent museums in Bengaluru are coming together to celebrate International Museum Day. The Departments have launched a wide reaching public campaign celebrating museums under the theme of ‘Once Upon A Time’. The campaign will bring out interesting stories from city museums. It will also encourage the public to contribute their own experiences on social media using the hashtag #MyMuseumStory.

The exercise will also feature exciting contests and promotions at various centres. Activities like treasure hunt contests, museum walks, talks, workshops & seminars, and film screenings will be organized at various museums including Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum, Government Museum, HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, National Gallery of Modern Art, Gandhi Bhavan and Human Brain Museum (NIMHANS).

Smt. Umashree, Minister for Women and Child Development, and Kannada and Culture, said "Our aim is to preserve and promote the Kannada language, culture and heritage of Karnataka in India and abroad. International Museum Day is an ideal platform through which we look forward to reach out to the society and convey this message. Museums provide the best platform for cultural exchange & enrichment, mutual understanding, cooperation and harmony among people.

Shri. PriyankKharge, Minister of IT & BT and Tourism said, “I am happy to know Karnataka Tourism, in its endeavour to promote the state is making all efforts to celebrate International Museum Day. Museums are amongst the biggest assets of our country. As we race ahead in our pursuit of progress, it becomes even more important for us to cherish the stories of our past. It is with this intent that the Government of Karnataka hopes to rekindle public consciousness with our rich stories of art, culture, heritage and technology. Our wish is to reach out and promote museums and the stories they tell amongst children and parents in Karnataka, through an innovative campaign coinciding with the International Museum Day.”

About International Museum Day:

The worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day on and around 18 May 2017.

The theme of International Museum Day 2017 is “Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.” This theme focuses on the role of museums that, by working to benefit society, become hubs for promoting peaceful relationships between people.