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Visakha Museum
Visakhapatnam, the city located in the Coastal Andhra Pradesh, houses three famous museums, namely Visakha Museum, INS Kursura and Anthropology Museum. Among these, Visakha Museum which is actually Viskhapatnam Municipal Corporation Museum, was established in 1991 to preserve and exhibit the artefacts and historical treasures belonging to the Kalingandhra region.
History
The old bungalow on the seashores of Visakhapatnam, called Dutch Bungalow, which was used by some families until 1970s, was chosen to be the venue for Visakha Museum to exhibit the collections secured for viewing as museum properties, which include ancient items of armory, coins, crockery, silk costumes, stuffed animals, portraits,jewelry, manuscripts, diaries, letters, scrap books and periodicals, which were used by the early settlers in the region.
When this Dutch bungalow with its land around was assigned forthe city development activities during 1980s, the organisers of Visakha Historical Society and other important members of public took appropriate action to remodel and put to use of the Bungalow for public benefit.
The Engineer-in-charge of this part of the VUDA project, who renovated the building retaining its aesthetic aspects, with the exception of ceramic tile flooring and the showcasing arrangement. The renewed Dutch Bungalow was acquired by the Municipal Corporation to establish Visakha Museum there.
The primary objective of the Museum has been to preserve the artefacts and documents relating to the the historical development of the Vizayanagaram district, which was a vast area in the Madras Presidency of those days.
Exhibitions
The following are the valuable exhibits placed in accordance with thegroupings that Museums follow :
- PORTRAITS: Variety of portraits, carrying pictures ofthe Royal family members made out in canvas painting material.
- HAND GUNS : Revolvers and handguns of different types obtained from the Police Station armoury at the time of handing over charge by British in 1947.
- DAGGERS, SWORDS ETC : Huge collection of swords and daggers .
- HELMETS : Helmets of different origin, that include British,Roman/Greek and Viking.
- EXHIBITS OF STUFFED ANIMALS : Two magnificent stuffed Bengal tigers got as a Trophy by Jeypore Royalty.
- ANKITAM FAMILY HEIRLOOMS of containing a Buddhist Pagoda, Ramayana on palm-leaf, medallions and costume jewellery
- ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS: Those collected from the A.V. JaggaRao Observatory inVizag.
- GLASS AND PORCELAIN MATERIAL : A Czechoslovakia made dinner set with inscriptions in Telugu script manufactured in 1920's and Bobbili Royal family’s wine glass set.
- ARTIFACTS AND MEMENTOS FROM LOCAL INSTITUTIONS :
- Saint Aloysius School : The Shell of an unexploded heavy Japanese bomb dropped on Vizag during the second World War.
- Hindustan Shipyard Ltd: Coconut cracked by the First PM PunditJawaharalal Nehru to launch the first India-built ship S.S. JalaUsha.
- Vizag port trust :A few bust statues of port officers made in Bronze.
- RECENT ADDITIONS:
- GANDHI MEMORALIA: The desk in which Mahatma Gandhi workedwhen he stayed in Vizag , which was later used by Sri TennetiViswanatham.
- DECORATIONS OF FELICITATIONS: Those items given to the Poet LaurateSripadaKrishamurtySastry to felicitate him.
How to Reach
Visakhapatnam can be reached by air, rail and road, besides it is the hub for ground traffic via Sea. Visakhapatnam airport has a number of daily direct flight schedules from almost all the airports of India, while the Visakhapatnam railway station lies inthe Chennai Central-Howrah Station route, with a number of fast moving trains having stoppage. Roadwise, it is connected by NH5,being a major highway APSRTC running a number of local and long distance buses.
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