Lok Sabha Question No. 2601 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Modernization of Museums
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Dr. Alok Kumar Suman, Smt. Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2601 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/03/2026

## 'MODERNIZATION OF MUSEUMS'

## 2601. SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM: DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken comprehensive measures initiatives for the modernization  of  national  and  regional  museums  to  enhance  the  visitor  experience  in  the country particularly in Bihar;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  for  the  upgradation  of  exhibition  design,  accessibility features along with the visitor amenities and extent to which exhibitions and digital collections have expanded in museums;
- (c) whether the Government has taken steps to enhance training and capacity building of museum curators, conservators and technical staff, if so, details thereof;
- (d) the details of the steps taken to promote tourism and education programmes in museums; and
- (e) the details of the technical measures taken/being taken to  improve the security and infrastructure of museums?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) and (b): Ministry of Culture operates Museum Grant Scheme under which financial assistance is provided for  setting  up  of  New  Museums/development  of  the  existing  museums  managed  by Central/State  Governments,  Societies,  Autonomous  bodies,  Public  sector  Undertaking,  local bodies, Academic Institutions and Trusts registered under the societies Act at the Regional, State and District Level in the country including Bihar.

The development/modernization of museums  include upgradation of exhibition design through renovation of galleries, improved display cases, updated exhibition layouts, enhanced interpretative panels, and improved lighting and sound systems to ensure better presentation of artefacts.  Various  museums have  been equipped with Virtual Reality (VR) facilities to enrich and uplift the visitor experience. Digital initiatives such as multimedia installations and progressive digital documentation and cataloguing of collections.

Further, accessibility features such as installation of ramps and barrier-free access provisions are also  available  to  facilitate  ease  of  access  for  differently-abled  visitors.    Visitor  amenities including seating arrangements, signage, drinking water facilities and other basic infrastructure are also taken care of by the museums.

- (c) Under the Museum Grant Scheme there is component called as Capacity Building and Training of Museum Professionals for which financial assistance is provided under the scheme.    The Ministry attracts due importance to professional development of museum personnel. It was felt to up-grade the human resources in Indian museums in order to broaden their vision, upgrade their  skills  and  leadership  management  qualities  to  international  standards.  In-service  skill development  and  training  opportunities  for  museum  professionals  are  very  limited.  Hence,  it was also felt need for capacity building in-service programmes which will help bring about key changes  in  our  museums  to  make  them  more  enjoyable,  educative  and  popular  for  visitors; accessible for all sections of our society and manage and preserve our priceless art collections with  up-to  date  systems  and  best  practices.  This  component  of  the  scheme  aims  to  create expertise and specializations in various fields of museum work such as collection management, design, education, marketing which are found lacking in most Indian museums.
- (d) To enhance public engagement and create awareness about cultural heritage, various outreach and educational programmes are organized in  museums comes under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture on the occasion of International Museum Day, World Heritage Week, and other important festivals of national importance such as Independence Day and Republic Day. These programmes include exhibitions, lectures, quiz competitions, heritage walks, educational workshops,  and  interactive  sessions  aimed  at  students  and  the  general  public.  Students  from local  schools  and  educational  institutions  are  invited  and  they  actively  participate  in  these activities,  which  provide  them  with  an  opportunity  to  learn  about  the  historical, cultural,  and national significance of museums and the artefacts displayed therein.
- (e) Museums  under  the  administrative  control  of  Ministry  of  Culture  have  adequate  security arrangements through deployment of armed guards and other security personnel to ensure protection of artefacts and premises, coupled with the use of necessary security gazette. Technical measures include installation and maintenance of fire alarm systems, fire detection systems,  and  provision  of  fire  extinguishers  at strategic  locations  within  museum premises. Periodic inspection and maintenance of these systems are carried out to ensure their operational  readiness.  Mock  drills  are  also  conducted  in  coordination  with  local  Disaster Management authorities to enhance preparedness and response capability in case of emergencies.  These  measures  are  implemented  on  a  continuous  basis  to  safeguard  valuable cultural heritage assets housed in museums.

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