National Museum, New Delhi, New Delhi

History

In 1946, the idea of building a National Museum for India was proposed by the Gwyer Committee. Sir Maurice Gwyer, the former Chief Justice of India and Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, headed the Committee. One of the members of the Committee was Sir Mortimer Wheeler who is often cited as chief initiators of the National Museum as he advocated for the museum's development although reports indicate that he was concerned with unifying Archaeological Survey of India site museums under the umbrella of a Museum's branch rather than setting up a new museum.The roots of the National Museum begin with an exhibition of Indian art and artefacts organized by the Royal Academy of Arts, London. The Exhibition went on display in the galleries of Burlington House during the winter months of 1947-48. This Exhibition of The Art of India and Pakistan in London was the first exhibition sponsored by the British government which gave Indian artefacts the status of high art. Before its return to India, with Jawaharlal Nehru's foresight and support, it was decided that these important collections should be showcased here upon their return so that they could be enjoyed and appreciated by the people of India. At the close of the exhibit, requests were released to the loaning museums and collectors, urging them to surrender object ownership to what was to become the National Museum. When the decision was taken to make a permanent National Museum, the exhibits were first displayed in the State Rooms of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (then called the Government House) on August 15, 1949 and the rooms were formally inaugurated by C. Rajgopalachari, Governor General of India. Until the mid-1950s, it essentially remained a permanent version of the temporary exhibit – consisting of the same pieces, and remaining in the state rooms. In 1955 building began on the new current location of the National Museum at Janpath. However, when the National Museum was ready in 1960, the statue of Lord Buddha and the Rampurva Bull were retained at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the request of Jawaharlal Nehru.Since its inception, the National Museum owed much of its original structure and organization to the Indian Museum, Kolkata as some of its first curators were former employees of the Indian Museum, such as C. Sivaramamurti even though the National museum aspired to displace the historic position the Indian Museum had come to acquire as the largest and grandest museum in India. Despite of some semblance, the National Museum encouraged the scholars and the public to think differently about the objects on display by placing the objects within a broad historical context and allowing the objects to speak for a larger representation outside of itself.Grace Morley was the first Director of the National Museum, New Delhi who earlier played instrumental role of the founding director (1935-58) of the San Francisco Museum of Art (now San Francisco Museum of Modern Art). She joined the National Museum on the 8th of August, 1960 and continued to hold its charge for six more years. She was one of the advocates of cultural democracy who believed that art should be available to everyone—and held firm convictions about the crucial role that museums could play in this endeavour. In her installations for the National Museum, this desire for secularisation and democratisation was effected through the presentation of sculptures in classic white-cube spaces with minimal contextual information. It was her ‘visual storage’ display system, minimalist teak pedestals, air-conditioning vents, track-lighting, and large glass cases with staggered risers for visual variety which led to the museum acquiring international recognition and the museum in its working still reflects her image. She instructed carpenters to build display cases and Eamesian-type couches, cabinets and cases that reflected modernist, uncluttered lines. Such elements produced the perfect streamlined stage for a performance of the modern by viewing audiences. Harmonious colour schemes, dramatic, dim lighting, cushions of space around eye-level objects, and the occasional leafy plant for a visual pause, all contributed to the creation of a modern museum.