KARACHI, Aug 3: The National Museum has constructed an auditorium under its Museum Educational Services, but the federal government is planning to hand over the auditorium to the Pakistan National Council of Arts.

The sources said though the auditorium, having a seating capacity of over 200 schoolchildren, is not yet complete and is in fishing stages, it has become so popular that the museum has started organizing programmes for schoolchildren under its educational services.

The sources said that the PNCA chief executive has approached the federal culture secretary and informed him that a hall be made available in Karachi for performances as ordered by the federal culture minister.

The PNCA letter says that the auditorium and the resthouse adjacent to the National Museum were the best for cultural activities owing to their localtion in the “cultural district”.

The PNCA plans to establish its offices in the resthouse and start organizing programmes in the auditorium. It however, has generously offered that the Archeology Department could also continue to share the auditorium.

The PNCA has informed that its chief was going to Karachi and relevant archeology department officials be informed and directed to facilitate him.

The sources said that the archeology department has directed its Karachi officials to make necessary arrangements for the visit of the PNCA chief and extend all possible assistance to him.The sources said the main objective of constructing this auditorium at a cost of over Rs 13 million was to disseminate knowledge to the younger generation, particularly the schoolchildren about history and archeology and to promote awareness among masses to preserve their cultural heritage through mobile exhibitions and seminars.

They said the plan is to bring schoolchildren to the auditorium, first give them lecture and show documentaries regarding artifacts they would be seeing in the museum.

Thy said the purpose of the auditorium is to serve as a centre of healthy educational service to hundreds of students who visit the museum besides organizing seminars, symposia and workshops on various disciplines or archeology, arts and cultural significance of the country.

The auditorium would be equipped with latest equipment, including multimedia, digital cameras, and other related gadgets.

They said that National Museum was offering various educational services, such as guided tours of the museum galleries, school loan services, besides organizing exhibitions, seminars, documentary films shows, lectures etc.