Bangladesh National Museum is the largest museum and collection in Bangladesh. It is a national institution established for the purpose of collecting, preserving, displaying and researching artefacts related to historical, archeological, anthropological, artistic and natural history of Bangladesh. It started its journey in 1913 under the name of Dhaka Museum during the British rule. The museum is currently housed in a four-storey building on 6.63 acres of land in Shahbagh, the heart of the capital city of Dhaka. The museum has 44 exhibition rooms, three auditoriums, a rich library and two temporary exhibition rooms. In addition, the National Museum has four branch museums under its control. These are the Osmani Museum in Sylhet, the Ahsan Manzil Museum in Dhaka, the Zia Memorial Museum in Chittagong and the Zainul Abedin Museum in Mymensingh.
During the British rule in 1857, The Dhaka News first published the news of the need to establish a museum in Dhaka. But in the nineteenth century, little progress was made in establishing museums. The Partition of Bengal in 1905 unexpectedly created an opportunity to establish a museum in Dhaka. When Dhaka was made the capital of the new provinces of East Bengal and Assam formed according to Lord Curzon's plan, arrangements were made to transfer the coins of the Shillong cabinet to Dhaka. On this occasion, the official currency expert H. E. Stapleton proposed to the Director of Public Education to set up a museum in Dhaka. When Stapleton's proposal was discussed at the official level in 1909, Governor Sir Lancelot Hare ordered the selection of a site for the proposed museum. However, with the abolition of the Partition of Bengal in 1911, efforts to set up a museum in Dhaka on government initiative came to a halt. In this situation the prominent citizens of Dhaka became vocal for the establishment of the museum
On the occasion of the arrival of the then Governor of Bengal Lord Carmichael in Dhaka, he was given a civic reception at Northbrook Hall on 25 July 1912. On this occasion, prominent citizens of Dhaka demanded the establishment of a museum here. Lord Carmichael was impressed by the exhibition organized by the organizers of the event in support of this demand.Granted 2,000 rupees for the establishment of the museum. Official approval for the establishment of the museum was officially published in the form of a gazette on 5 March 1913 and a 30-member Provisional General Committee was constituted. Nicholas D. Bitson, Divisional Commissioner, Dhaka, was appointed Chairman of the Bell Committee. This committee is empowered to form an interim executive committee to formulate the museum's draft policy. On 8 August of that year, Lord Carmichael inaugurated the Dhaka Museum. On 16 November the Government of Bengal approved the draft museum policy prepared by the Interim Executive Committee. The General Assembly and the Executive Council are constituted in accordance with this policy. Dhaka Divisional Commissioner FC French was appointed president of both the councils and Stapleton was appointed secretary. On 7 July 1914, Nalinikanta Bhattasali was appointed curator of the museum. Dr. N. Gupta was entrusted with the task of collecting and presenting galleries related to natural history. A servant, a waiter and a doorman were also appointed. The Dhaka Museum was opened to the public on 25 August 1914. At that time the total number of specimens in the museum was 369.
First, a room in the then Secretariat (now Dhaka Medical College Hospital) was set aside to preserve the museum's specimens. But as the number of museum artifacts continued to increase, the museum was shifted to the Baroduwari building of the Naib Nazims of Dhaka at Nimtali in July 1915 due to lack of space. In 1983, it was shifted to its own building in Shahbag.
Among those who played a leading role in the establishment and development of Dhaka Museum were HE Stapleton, Satyendranath Bhadra, Syed Awlad Hasan, BK Das, Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf, Hakim Habibur Rahman, Nalinikanta Bhattasali, JT Rankin K.A. , Professor RB Ramsbotham and Syed Muhammad Taifur. However, the name of Nalinikanta Bhattasali is especially memorable in the development of Dhaka Museum. As a result of his diligent efforts and interest, the Dhaka Museum gained fame at home and abroad. He enriched the museum by conducting archeological excavations in different parts of the country and collecting artefacts in remote areas. Bhattasali's contribution is undeniable in all aspects of classification of patterns, documentation, creation of labels, presentation of exhibitions and management of proper preservation of patterns.
For four years after Bhattasali's death in 1947, no curator was appointed to the museum. From 1951 to 1962, the museum was run by Dhaka University. Dhaka University teachers Ahmad Hasan Dani, Abu Mohamed Habibullah, Sirajul Haque and Mofizullah Kabir were the unpaid part-time curators. Notable among them was the archaeologist and historian Ahmad Hasan Dani . His personal interest and efforts increased the collection of artefacts in the Dhaka Museum and greatly improved t
In 1972, Enamul Haque was appointed Assistant Curator of the Dhaka Museum. He was promoted to curator in 1985. Meanwhile, in 1971, many artefacts were collected from the Maharaja's palace at Dinajpur in the Dhaka Museum. After the death of Narendra Narayan Roy Chowdhury, the zamindar of Baldha, in 1973, it was decided to preserve the valuable historical relics of the Baldha Museum in the Dhaka Museum. Besides, Syed Muhammad Taifur and Hakim Habibur Rahman and the specimens preserved in their personal collections were given as gifts to the Dhaka Museum. As a result, the collection of Dhaka Museum became very rich.
It was during the Pakistan period that it was decided to set up a provincial museum at Shahbag. In 1960, the government issued the Dhaka Museum Board of Trustees Ordinance and took initiative to make the Dhaka Museum an autonomous institution. The Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University was made the Chairman of the 18-member Board of Trustees. After independence in 1972, the Board of Trustees submitted the National Museum Project to the Government of Bangladesh. After the formation of the National Museum Commission in 1974, the Bangladesh National Museum project was approved by the National Economic Council in 1975 on the recommendation of this commission. The National Museum Ordinance was promulgated on 20 September 1973 and the National Museum Board of Trustees was constituted on 15 November of that year.
Administration and Organizational Structure The National Museum is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh under the supervision of a 15-member Effort Board constituted by the Government. The members of the museum's endeavor board are usually selected from among the country's eminent historians, scholars and researchers. Since 1973, he has been the Executive Director of the National Museum. He was employed by the government. The National Museum has four specialized curatorial sections for the collection, preservation and display of museum artifacts. They are 1. Department of Natural History, II. Department of History and Classical Arts, 3. Department of Ethnology and Decorative Arts and 4. Department of Contemporary Art and World Civilization. There are also three more associate departments. These are 1. Conservation laboratory, II. Department of Public Education and 3. Department of Administration.
Curatorial departments are managed by professional museums, whose title is keeper. Keepers are assisted by Deputy Keepers and Assistant Keepers. The secretary is the head of the administration department comprising of security, accounting and engineering branches. He is employed by the government and is a deputy secretary by rank. The main function of the administration department is to assist the curatorial departments in the management of the museum. The Director General acts as the Chief Coordinator between the Curatorial Division and the Administration Division.
Museum Patterns and Galleries The National Museum of Bangladesh is a multi-disciplinary museum. The National Museum has a collection of artefacts related to various subjects like history, archeology, ethnography, art, natural history etc. As of 2009, the total number of artefacts in the National Museum's collection is about 6,000.
The Department of Natural History has been one of the most important departments of the Dhaka Museum since its inception. There is no independent Natural History Museum in Bangladesh. Therefore, this department has to perform the task of presenting the natural heritage of Bangladesh to the public and preserving the natural heritage. At present, the department has a total of 10 exhibition halls, where the natural heritage of Bangladesh is presented through various patterns and dioramas. Notable among the specimens presented in the gallery of the Department of Natural History are the map of Bangladesh, topography, forest resources, mineral resources, plants, fruits, animals, insects, etc. Marine animals of the Bay of Bengal are also presented here.
Department of History and Classical Arts The largest section of the National Museum. Of the 7,000 specimens in the National Museum, about 6,000 are in this section. There are 11 galleries under this section, where the historical and cultural evolution of the Bengali nation has been presented through archeological specimens and historical documents. Coins are the most common denominator in this category. About 53,000 coins from ancient and medieval and British periods are preserved in this section. Kushan, Gupta, Mainamati gold coins and gold and silver coins of the Sultanate and Mughal period are valuable historical monuments of this division. Other specimens in this section include terracotta plaques, bronze and stone sculptures, ancient architectural monuments, inscriptions and copperplates, pottery, manuscripts, historical documents, personal memorabilia of the children, language movement and war of independence documents, weapons and photographs.
The main attraction of the National Museum is the ancient Hindu-Buddhist sculptures. These sculptures are unique in the world in decoration and craftsmanship. Also, various terracotta plaques used in the decoration of ancient and medieval buildings, especially in Mahasthan, Mainamati , Paharpur and medieval temples, ornamental terracotta plaques used in mosques, are one of the interesting features of this gallery.
The 3 galleries on the third floor present the history of the freedom struggle of the Bengali nation from 1947 to 1971. Notable specimens in these galleries are photographs and documents of the language movement, large photographs of the March 7th speech, posters of the liberation war, touching photographs of refugee camps and genocide, weapons of the liberation war, surrender of arms and surrender of occupying forces.
Department of Ethnography and Decorative Arts There are 16 galleries under the Department of Ethnology, which showcases the social, cultural life and daily life of the Bengali people. In the collection preserved evidence, notably the various ethnic groups and social professionals, religious and cultural norms and customs of the heritage, in everyday life, used appliances, building materials, boats , tools, weapons, darusilpakarma, karusilpakarma, metal works, porcelain art , Ivory artwork, embroidery, wearables and ornaments, nakshi kantha, Musical instruments etc. Interesting aspects of the gallery in this section are some eye-catching dioramas built on blacksmiths, potters, fishermen, farmers, rural hat bazaars, public life and tribal culture. Spectacular woodwork such as ornate and ornate inlaid beds, palanquins , wooden fences, furniture and dhemkis etc. are significant sources of joy and curiosity for the visitors visiting the museum. Advanced silver wirework and ivory coolers, gold-silver ornaments bear witness to the cultural heritage of an advanced nation.
The gallery of this section also presents a number of historical monuments, the most notable of which are the swords of Nawab Sirajuddaula and Tipu Sultan, the carpets of Sirajuddaula, the cannons of Sher Shah and Isa Khar, the rags and armor of Akbar's time.
Department of Contemporary Art and World CivilizationThere are 6 galleries in this section, where exhibitions of contemporary works of art and world culture from home and abroad are presented. The art gallery of the National Museum is extremely rich. These art galleries have been decorated with works of art by the country's eminent artists. The art gallery started with the works of Zainul Abedin, the pioneer of art in Bangladesh. Zainul Abedin's paintings on the famine of 1943 give the audience an idea of the reality of famine. Zainul Abedin's various works of art on prison life, Vedic life, rebellion, nature and rural life also touched the hearts of the audience. A large part of the art gallery houses works by artists SM Sultan, Kamrul Hasan and Bhaskara Novera. In particular, SM Sultan's works of art have reflected the rural life in a very nice, aesthetic and beautiful way. Art gallery works on the nature, social,
The World Civilization Gallery has been organized on the fourth floor of the National Museum. Of course, there are no traces of ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Indus, Greek, Roman, Persian civilizations. That is why the World Civilization Gallery has not reached its fullness. However, the origins and imitations of modern European famous works of art from the Renaissance era have been presented. A large gallery has been set up with portraits of world-renowned children, giving visitors an idea of world-renowned scholars.
There are also some interesting corners on the fourth floor of the museum based on foreign culture. These corners include Iranian Corner, Switzerland Corner, Korean Corner, Chinese Corner etc. In these corners, works of art, sculptures, musical instruments, porcelain and metal works of those countries and, above all, materials used in daily life have been presented.
Conservation Chemistry In 1975, with the grant of the Ford Foundation, the Dhaka Museum Authority took the initiative to establish a conservation laboratory. During this time two assistant chemists were recruited and sent abroad for training. After returning to the country after the training, the work of setting up the laboratory started by importing the necessary equipment and chemicals. After the establishment of the National Museum, the conservation laboratory was also shifted to the present building of the National Museum. The conservation laboratory was later re-equipped with modern equipment and chemicals with a grant from the Japanese government. The laboratory works to ensure healing and protection against rust, patina, bronze diseases, salinity of terracotta plaques, monuments, cloth, paper, bamboo, cane and wood products. Department of Pattern Preservation Research,
Public Education Activities The National Museum has a public education department, which plays an important role in making the people of the country aware of the heritage. The Department of Public Education manages the publications, displays, photography, audio-visual, library and auditorium branches.
The museum had a school bus as part of the curriculum. In this 52-seat bus, students of one or another educational institution of Dhaka metropolis were brought to the museum every day. But at present the activity of bringing and taking students in the school bus is stopped. However, students from different schools in Dhaka are still visiting the museum regularly. Five demonstrator lecturers introduced the students to each of the patterns. Guides from the education department are also given to foreign visitors to visit the museum. Booklets, folders from the education branch are published and distributed among important visitors at home and abroad.
In 1989, the Bangladesh National Museum launched a special type of bus, a mini-museum, to give people in remote areas of the country a chance to visit the museum. The mobile mini-museum housed 26 small galleries of selected ancient coins, stone axes, terracotta and various artifacts from the liberation war. But at present this program is also closed. The museum organizes special events to celebrate various national days, such as discussion programs, cultural events, seminars, symposiums, special exhibitions, beautiful handwriting competitions for children and teenagers, painting competitions, etc. Occasionally there are documentary film shows and photo exhibitions on special days. Video images of nationally important events are preserved for future generations. Again museum pattern based research, bulletins, The National Museum also plays an important role in spreading education through the publication of journals and important books. The museum assists in the basic research work on the history and culture of the country by providing photographs and important information by local and foreign researchers.
In the first year after the establishment of the Dhaka Museum in 1914, a total of 4,453 visitors visited the museum. At present, an average of about five thousand visitors visit the National Museum every day and get acquainted with the glorious history and culture of the country.