Now one can see and appreciate the fascinating objects at the Salar Jung Museum (SJM) from the comfort of one’s home. Connoisseurs of art can look forward to a virtual tour of the famed museum in the New Year as the authorities have decided to put the museum on the map of the world in association with the Google Art Project.
With this the SJM joins the select band of museums which have gone online. Ever since the Google Art Project commenced in February 2011, as many as 135 museums in different parts of the world have launched the virtual tour facility. In India only two museums – National Gallery of Modern Art and National Museum, Delhi – currently have an online presence.
Salar Jung will be the third museum to offer this ‘walk-through’ facility. The executive committee of SJM has okayed the proposal and it will soon be placed before the Museum Board headed by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. An MoU between SJM and Google Art Project would be inked shortly to formalise the deal. This is expected to generate global interest in the largest one-man collections of antiques driving more visitors to the museum.
The Google platform allows one to access high resolution images of art works. It enables users to virtually tour museum galleries, explore physical and contextual information about art works.
However, the SJM authorities propose to present a view of its 39 galleries instead of focussing on the objects. Of course as the camera pans a gallery all the objects in it can be seen and details will appear. “In each gallery three to four important objects will be highlighted,” says A. Nagender Reddy, director, SJM.
Famous objects like the veiled Rebecca, Mestophiles and the Lady with the Lamp and the visual delight – the musical clock wherein a Lilliputian gongs the bell every hour will be there to view in detail.
No cost, no pay
It is a kind of advertisement at no cost. The SJM doesn’t have to pay anything to Google for this facility. “It is all intended to promote art and museums,” Mr. Reddy said.
The bewildering object d’art is at the click of the mouse. So, guys get ready for a ‘walkthrough’ the Salar Jung Museum.
