“Museums in India are comparable to the best museums in the world. Display is what makes the difference. I am sure, in years to come, this would be one of the best museums of the country,” wrote an Air Commodore in the visitor’s registrar after visiting ‘Aloyseum’ on September 9, 2002, which turned prophetic on Saturday.
The century-old Aloyseum with 370 rare articles, renovated at a cost of about `80 lakh was thrown open to the public. The year-long renovating work was achieved due to the efforts of St Aloysius College principal Fr Swebert D’Silva and Museum curator Michael J M Cutinha.
History
Throughout its history of 100 years, curators and authorities concerned had been conscious of its inadequacies in presentation due to the lack of display place.
Due to increasing student population, the college museum used to be shifted from one building to another. Finally, it was relocated in a building at the west end of the campus (also known as red building). The museum is a treasure trove of antiques, some of them dating back to the Stone Age.
The centurion tag comes from what the museum hosts. Its nucleus is the items procured from Italy by Fr Chiappi. His minerals, herbarium, collection of Roman coins and commemorative medals are displayed.
One of the most visible exhibit is a ‘De Deon automobile,’ the first to land in Mangalore. There are many amusing anecdotes surrounding the vehicle which was imported by P F X Saldanha of Highland Coffee Works.
Aloyseum is an attractive destination for discerning tourists and art connoisseurs. At `5 as entrance fee, it is a steal. But, one should set aside at least one hour to do justice to Aloyseum.
‘Will Be Renamed M’lore Museum’
Visiting a museum should be an educative experience, said scientist and Lab of Applied Biology director Leo D’Souza on Saturday.
He was addressing the gathering after the inauguration of the renovated museum. Fr Leo D’souza said that there is a belief that artifacts that are no longer used should be displayed in a museum.
“A museum is not an accumulation of cast away things. Visitors must not merely look at the artifacts but learn to wonder about small things,” he added.
Fr Leo D’Souza, recollected being in Germany when the Berlin Wall was pulled down. A piece of the wall with graffiti, collected by him, is now displayed in the museum. St Aloysius College principal Fr Swebert D’Silva said that as most artifacts depicts the culture of Mangalore, the Aloyseum will be renamed as the ‘Mangalore Museum.’
He thanked Curator Michel Cutinha and visitors’ facilitator Gopal Gowda from Konkani Institute for re-arrangement of exhibits.