Bengaluru: The oldest museum in the oldest and South India Karnataka, Government Museum, Bengaluru, 156 years old on Wednesday.
The museum was first established in a prison spot converted on what the Museum Road is now on August 18, 1865.
It first bore the name Mysore Museum.
In 1877, it shifted to the current place on Jalan Kasturba, next to the Visvesvaraya Museum place.
The museum, which was inaugurated with many fanfare, had 80,213 visitors walking to see artifacts on display in the first year.
Note shows that many visitors are not literate.
The Mysore Gazettes recording celebrations during launch with exhibitions, including silk, cotton, wool, seeds, oil, medicines, old coins, stones and stuffed animals included in the region.
But the history behind how a complex prison in the city makes the way for the fine museum lies in the record in the archives of Karnataka.
It all started with the transfer and post of British officers and the Edward Green Balfour surgeon from Madras to Bangalore in 1861 as Deputy Inspector General of Hospital, Bangalore Cantonment.
Balfour, who has helped reveal the Madras Museum, the oldest in South India, on April 29, 1851, proposes that the MySore country with rich history requires a museum to show off specialization, especially in its capital.
From 1863 onwards, the team led by Dr.
Balfour began collecting various items for museums and many Bangalore and rich people from other parts of the country.
Even Travancore contributed rare items in their ownership for the cause.
Note shows that in 1864, the Bangalore prison complex – located where the headquarters of the SBI country are now – evacuated to be transferred to the place where Freedom Park is currently.
Also, the decision was taken to open a museum in the prison supervisor quarter, which is now a communication museum under the Indian post at the Museum Road.
With a total of 3,203 donated items, including rare coins, stones, silk and even hunting and doll animals, the first country museum opened the door on August 18, 1865 for the public for a free visit from 6:30 to 6pm to 6:00.
Thus the road outside is the Chained Museum Road in the following years.
From the 150-year Archievesa record in Archieves from July 1866 showed that the museum had 19,873 visitors for that month and 14,146 could not put their signature, but marked their entries.
It goes to show how the Mysore Museum is the first in this country to push visitors who are not confused even in the 19th century.
The Museum Association in London, a major body, in the 1936 report they praised the museum in Bangalore for the exhibition and the enthusiasm of people in visiting the place.
According to historians, the first museum was known as the Tamasha Bungalow among the locals because many found stuffed animals featuring high points.
The need for facilities is greater because the growth of the crowd encourages the museum to be shifted to the current location on Jalan Kasturba.
From its opening in 1865, the museum was allowed for free to the public until February 27, 1965, when it costs 10 Paise for adults and 5 Paise for children introduced, shows the show.
The current entry fee is Rs 20 for adults and Rs 10 for children.
Karnataka’s oldest museum is 156 years old
