National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), founded in 1954, is the only institution of its kind in the country representing evolution and pictorial transformation in visual arts over the last more than 150 years. NGMA functions as a subordinate office under the superintendence and administrative control of the Ministry of Culture. The main objectives of the NGMA are to create an understanding and sensibility among the Indian public towards the visual and plastic arts in general and to promote the development of contemporary Indian art in particular. In 2009, NGMA inaugurated the opening of its New Extension Wing at New Delhi which increased its display spaces by more than 6 times. Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad The Salar Jung Museum of Hyderabad is a repository of the artistic achievements of diverse European, Asian and Far Eastern countries of the world. The major portion of this collection was acquired by Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan popularly known as Salar Jung III. The zeal for acquiring art objects continued as a family tradition for three generations of Salar Jungs. In 1914, Salar Jung III, after having relinquished the post of Prime Minister to H.E.H., the Nizam VII, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, devoted rest of his entire life in collecting and enriching the treasures of art and literature till he lived. The precious and rare art objects collected by him for a period of over forty years, find place in the portals of the Salar Jung Museum, as rare to very rare pieces of art. After the demise of Salar Jung-III, the vast collection of precious art objects and his Library which were housed in “Dewan-Deodi” the ancestral palace of the Salar Jungs, the desirability of organizing a Museum out of the Nawab’s collection dawned quite soon and Sri M.K. Velodi, the then Chief Civil Administrator of the Hyderabad State approached Dr.James Cousins a well known art critic, to organize the various objects of art and curios which were lying scattered in different palaces of Salar Jung III to form a Museum. With a view to perpetuate the name of Salar Jung as a world renowned art connoisseur, the Salar Jung Museum was brought in to existence and was opened to the public by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India on 16th December, 1951. However, the administration of the Museum continued to be vested in the Salar Jung Estate Committee till 1958. Thereafter, the heirs of Salar Jung Bahadur graciously agreed to donate the entire collection to the Government of India through a Compromise Deed based on a High Court Decree on 26th December l958. The Museum continued to be administered directly by the Government of India till 1961. Through an Act of Parliament (Act of 26 of 1961) the Salar Jung Museum with its Library was declared to be an Institution of National Importance. The administration was entrusted to an Autonomous Board of Trustees with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh as its Ex-officio Chairman and ten other members representing the Government of India, the State of Andhra Pradesh, Osmania University and one from the family of Salar Jungs. The Museum has a magnificent global collection of art objects and antiques not only of Indian origin, but mostly from countries Western, a sizable collection hails from Middle Eastern and Far Eastern origins. In 2000 AD, under museum expansion programme two more buildings were added on either side of existing central building. Basing on the nature of collections, the Western /European collections were displayed in the Western Block and Eastern collections in the Eastern block. Mixed collection including Children’s section, Rebecca, Musical clock, Jade, Ivory etc., galleries were located in the central building. A rich reference library which contains reference books, large collection of rare manuscripts etc. is also located the in the central building. Thus, this Museum has become popular, not only as a place of interest but also as an institution for education. Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata The Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH), Kolkata, was founded principally through the efforts of Viceroy Lord Curzon, as a period museum in memory of Queen Victoria. Its foundation stone was laid in 1906 and the 57-acre campus was formally opened to the public in 1921. The VMH was declared an institution of National importance by the Government of India Act of 1935. The VMH’s objective is to be the premier period museum in the world on Indo-British history in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. On a local level, it seeks to function as the premier museum, art gallery, research library, and cultural space in the city of Kolkata. It has been widely hailed as the finest specimen of Indo-British architecture in India, and called the ‘Taj of the Raj’. The VMH is currently the most-visited museum in India and one of the top museums in the world in terms of footfall. It’s rapidly rising global stature as a top tourist destination in India is indicated by the award of a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2015, and of Lonely Planet ‘Top Choice’ and ‘Fodor’s ratings, accolades coveted by most museums of the world. The VMH collection has 28,394 artefacts, many of which are displayed in nine galleries that showcase historic paintings in oil and watercolour, sketches and drawings, aquatints, lithographs, photographs, rare books and manuscripts, stamps and postal stationery, coins and medals, arms and armour, sculptures, costumes, personal relics. Etc National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India is engaged in developing a Culture of Science and innovation through its nationwide network of science museums/centers. NCSM is the implementing agency for the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS) of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Under this scheme, it establishes science cities, science centers, and Innovation Hubs to provide a platform to nurture creativity and innovation, especially among young individuals. NCSM is also engaged in
