The renovated Bapu Museum is all set for re-opening by Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Thursday.
“Using latest technologies like Virtual and Augmented Reality, digital display panel and an immersive projection theatre, we have transformed the museum into an interactive space,” said G. Vani Mohan, Commissioner, Archaeology and Museums, at a press conference on Wednesday.
She said that the 1,500 antiquities at the museum, belonging to different eras from 10,00,000 BC to the 19th century, would be used to promote heritage and culture education. The displays include pre, proto and early historical objects, Jain and Buddha sculptures, pottery, plaques, beads and bangles, iron implements, coins, inscriptions, textiles, paintings and celadon ware, among other things.
The nine galleries are categorised under pre- and early historic gallery, Jain and Buddhist gallery, Hindu sculptures, epigraphy, numismatic, textile, painting, medieval century prospective and arms and weapons galleries.
A project mapping with a theme ‘Glories of Andhra’ had been developed to educate the younger generations about the culture and heritage of the Andhra land.
Ms. Vani Mohan said that the cabinets were furnished with Korean sheets for greater life, longevity and a fine look. There are four interactive cabinet displays on Buddhism and Jainism, temples in Andhra Pradesh, forts and monuments and excavations and epigraphy. A 16-feet digital interactive wall panel will serve as a one-stop place to know all about the antiquities in the museum. The automatic scroll and display of the 1,500 exhibits at a time and detailed information on them along with historical nuggets is a highlight.
Novel initiatives
The Commissioner said use of Augmented Reality for sculptures in a museum was the first of its kind initiative in the country. “One can hear the images speak by scanning them on their smartphones. So is the case with VR (Virtual Reality) technology, which will allow visitors to experience real environment in a more immersive way,” she said.
A digital book, yet another first of its kind initiative in the country, displays the top 10 Buddhist heritage sites in the world using a projector. Besides, there is an interactive kiosk with questions and answers awaiting the visitors at the end of their journey in the museum.
She said the visitors would have the privilege to participate in a quiz and a certificate of appreciation would be given to the participants.
