NEW DELHI: The Centre’s ambitious project—Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM)—will showcase an assortment of artefacts drawn from six museums functioning under the ministry of culture (MoC).
In addition, cultural objects from 52 site museums managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will form a significant part of the display. Its extensive collection will also feature antiquities that have been repatriated to India from overseas in recent years.
Additionally, to further enrich its holdings, the ministry plans to source exhibits on long-term loan from international institutions, state-run museums and prominent private collectors.
In total, YYBM will feature at least 30 galleries of varying sizes, including immersive indoor and outdoor spaces with courtyards, to display rare artefacts.
The proposed museum, being developed by the ministry as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project, will be housed in the iconic North and South Blocks on Raisina Hill.
Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday informed Rajya Sabha that as the design phase is still ongoing, the project’s budget and timeline are currently being determined.
He was responding to the questions of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale, who sought the deadlines for completion of YYBM, details of a dedicated corpus fund established for the museum’s soft infrastructure and steps being taken to mitigate risks to the existing National Museum collection during relocation.
Shekhawat said that the ministry maintains a benchmarked conservation laboratory to ensure the highest standards of care for antiquities.
“Every object will undergo a formal condition assessment prior to any potential movement to YYBM. Depending on the findings, objects will receive either immediate preventive conservation or follow established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for remedial treatment before being cleared for transport,” he said.
The minister further stated that the museum’s curatorial framework is currently being refined through extensive consultation with subject-matter experts to ensure a comprehensive historical narrative.
In December 2024, the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with France Museums Développement (FMD), which provided expertise for transforming the historic Louvre Palace into the world's largest and most visited museum, to conduct feasible study and a preliminary master planning for adaptive reuse of North and South Blocks.
The French agency is renowned for its expertise in transformation of old buildings into iconic cultural spaces, exemplified by the Louvre, Grand Palais, and Hôtel de la Marine.