Sindh govt to establish four new museums

In a bid to provide better insight into local history, the Sindh Culture, Tourism, Antiques and Archives Department has decided to introduce four more archaeological museums to its exhibits and archives.

With the addition of the new museums, which are part of the department’s plan to establish archaeological archives in every district, the number of archaeological museums in the province will be increased to 10 in total.

“The four upcoming museums are going to be set up in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Khairpur Mirs and Umerkot.

We plan to introduce four more museums in the next financial year, and as the initiative spans out, we expect every district to soon have its own archaeological museum,” explained Sindh Antiques and Archaeology Department directorgeneral Manzoor Kanasro.

According to Kanasro, the four new facilities will feature objects and artefacts portraying the cultural and archaeological aesthetic of the relevant district. In doing so, the district-level museums will help preserve the regional heritage in the pages of history.

“Sites in the respective districts have already been prepared for the upcoming museums, and the provincial directorate of antiques and archaeology is currently in the process of collecting artefacts of local importance to be displayed at these museums,” he went on to say.

“For this purpose, the directorate has also sought local contributions from the people.” As per Kanasro, the Hyderabad museum is set to be housed within the historic Mukhi House, in the city’s Shahi Bazaar area.

Meanwhile, the museum in Umerkot is going to be named Thar Museum, and will feature various objects of ethnological backgrounds, with a special significance on household items and musical instruments attributed to Thari culture.

Similarly, the Khairpur Mirs museum, to be known as the Khairpur State Museum, will provide visitors a vivid insight into the local profile and the people and culture of the region. In the same vein, the Archaeological Museum of Sukkur will also display antiquities and objects found from various historical sites of the district.

“Once these museums are ready, we hope to set up four more archaeological museums in Nagarparkar, Mithi, Shikarpur and Larkana during the next financial year,” Kanasro told The Express Tribune.

The Sindh Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Department currently runs six museums in the province. These include the Archaeological Museum of Moenjodaro in Larkana, the Wazir Khan Mansion in Karachi, the Amiri Museum in Jamshoro, the Archaeological Museum of Bhanbhore and the Sindh Museum in Hyderabad.

The department has also looked after the National Museum in Karachi for a considerable amount of time, after the facility was transferred to the province under the 18th Constitutional Amendment. However, the federal government retook control of the museum in 2019, following a Supreme Court Order in the regard.