Kempegowda Museum has been shut amidst plans of renovation and relocation.
The citizens of Bangalore are unable to visit the Kempegowda Museum as it has been shut indefinitely. One of the visitors, Ayush Singh, told the CityCast that he had to return disappointed from the museum premises more than once. He said,” I have come to Kempegowda museum with my friends for three times now and it was closed every time. I hope they reopen soon.”
The museum was established in the year 2011 on Bangalore High Court premises. In 2019, the High Court asked BBMP to shift the museum to a new location as it wanted to accommodate additional courts and advocate chambers. The museum, since then, has been irregularly opened to the public.
The project head of the museum cites renovation as the prime reason for the closure. “The museum has been shut because the renovation has been going on inside. It will open once the renovation is finished. The visitors will be able to see it in a month. Meanwhile, plans of relocation are on as space here is limited and the museum needs more area for more items to be displayed.” said Ravi, the manager of the museum.
The BBMP says the work is going on to settle the issue. Suresh L, the PRO of BBMP said,” The instruction of relocation is there but it has not been approved yet. BBMP has not taken any decision by now. The museum will continue to run there for now.”
The co-convenor of INTACH, a non-profit organization aiming at saving India’s vast natural, built and cultural heritage, spoke to us about the importance of museums. He said,” Museums are a great place to know about the history of the city or any historical personality. It conserves the heritage of any city and helps people know the importance of lesser-known facts.” The Kempegowda Museum houses old pictures of forts, temples and other monuments that the city’s founder built during his reign.
The museum is slated to open after a minor renovation that is going on. The plans of relocation lay dormant.
