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A glimpse into history: Lahore Museum
A red-brick building, in the Mughal Gothic style, opposite Punjab University’s old campus at the Mall houses the Lahore Museum. Known to the common man as “Ajaib ghar”, it contains a vast collection of antiques and valuable treasure. This repository of cultural and historical heritage offers one with a plethora of information about bygone days .
It was built in 1894 during the British rule and has been open to public since then. The building in which the museum is presently housed was built in 1887 to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. His Royal Highness Prince Victor in 1890 laid the foundation stone. In 1893 the construction was completed, which was designed by Sardar Sahib Ram Singh.
Lectures and art and crafts exhibitions were also held in the premises which are yet some of the most popular activities of the museum.
In 1950 the Punjab government tried to renovate the structure which was in bad state. At that time the laboratory, studio, canteen, parking and handicrafts shop were also established.
At the beginning the museum only consisted of five galleries, later two more galleries were added. In 1965 again steps for renovation were taken. Besides this, new galleries such as the historical Jain Temple and ethnological I and II galleries were added in the late 1960s.
In 1973 the Pakistan Movement gallery, and Pakistan postage stamps gallery were set up. Presently the museum has twenty galleries and includes the miniature painting, Gandhara, Hindu, Buddh and Jain, Pre-historic and Proto-historic, Islamic, general, contemporary paintings, Jain Temple gallery, arms, stamps, medal and coins gallery, the Sadequain gallery, the Ethnological Gallery I, II (Swat) and III (fabrics and clay models).
The museum houses invaluable treasure and presents historical and cultural history from the earliest to the present time. In various galleries objects from Harrappa, Mohen-jodaro and other parts of the world are on display. The Hindu collection, which consists of carved stone sculptures of Krishna, Radha and other deities, portray the artistic skill of the craftsmen. Burmese, Tibetan and Nepalese collections are also found in the Hindu, Buddha and Jain gallery. Buddhist sculptures are unique.
Some are present in sequence such as the life story of Buddha from his previous incarnations, birth, youth, enlightenment, preaching of the law and death at the centre of the Buddha gallery, friezes and other pieces of a reconstructed stupa from Sikri are displayed. Other displays are metal and stone objects, pottery and terracotta figures, and other belongings.
The Islamic collection boasts of miniature paintings, calligraphy, manuscripts and various kinds of crafts including arms, carpets, shawls, ceramics, jewellery, paper mache’, notable manuscripts of the 10th century’s Holy Quran in Kufi script, Safavid sword, wooden door and many other rare artefacts.
In the miniature paintings gallery, as one lifts his head up one can observe the mural painted on the ceiling by our great artist, Sadequain. It depicts man’s search for knowledge and ultimate triumph. Another monumental work by this great artist is the calligraphic panel presented at the Islamic Gallery.
In the ‘Arms Gallery’ are present an array of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh and Early British weapons. There are also on display statues of Queen Victoria and King George V. On top of this gallery is displayed the ‘Dwarka Flag’ which was used by the Pakistan Navy during ‘Dwarka operation, in 1965 war.
In the Pakistan Movement Gallery the pictures of freedom fighters and recipients of Nishan-i-Haider are displayed. The photographs and newspaper cuttings narrate the story of the freedom struggle from 1757 to 1949 in a highly vivid manner. There are three separate sections, devoted to Tipu Sultan, Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam as well.
The Stamps and Medals galleries display Pakistan postage stamps and First Day covers from 1947 up to date and also exhibits the collection of medals of pre- and post- Independence periods.
A rich collection of nearly 50,000 coins in gold, silver, copper bullion and other metals are also displayed here. The periods which they represent include Greek Bactrian, Indus Greek, Scythian, Krishna, Romans, Parthian, Sassanian, Hun, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal, Durrani, Sikh, British, etc.
In the contemporary paintings gallery’ collection the specimen of Ustad Allah Bakhsh, Abdur Rehman Chughtai, Guljee, Ali Immam, Anna Molka Ahmad, Zain-ul Abidin and other eminent artists are displayed.
The museum’s reference library is housed in a separate block. There is also a cafeteria, a handicraft shop and a mosque available on the premesis.
A visit to the Lahore Museum is an experience in itself and offers to the visitor a plethora of knowledge of our culture and history.
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