Yuge Yugheen Bharat – The National Museum of India

Yuge yugheen bharat – the national museum of india

As part of the urban development project for the iconic historic Central Vista district in New Delhi, launched by the Indian government in 2020, France Muséums is supporting the Indian Ministry of Culture in the project to relocate the National Museum of New Delhi.  

This adaptive reuse project aims to transform two historic buildings, the Secretariat Buildings, into an ambitious museum complex. Dating back to the colonial era and situated at the heart of the Indian capital’s institutional landscape, these buildings hold great symbolic significance in the political and urban history of New Delhi. Covering an area of 155,500 m², this is one of the largest museum projects currently underway worldwide. 

The Ministry of Culture’s objective is to create a new museum institution in line with international standards, to affirm New Delhi’s role as a tourist capital with international influence, and to showcase the rich and complex history of Indian civilisation, spanning five millennia, whilst offering a fresh perspective on this heritage for contemporary audiences.  

Within this framework, France Muséums has worked on the building’s transformation, conceiving the future museum as a multidisciplinary living space that fosters dialogue between different artistic disciplines, as well as between tangible and intangible heritage. The programme developed by the agency is thus based on mixed-use programming, combining exhibition spaces, family and youth spaces, venues for live performances and public reading, as well as spaces for contemporary creation intended for artists and artisans. This approach aims to embed the museum in the daily lives of local residents, to strengthen its educational and social role, and to foster the emergence of a genuine artistic and cultural hub on a city-wide scale. 

MISSION DESCRIPTION: FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FUTURE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF INDIA (2024–2025)

In the run-up to the creation of the future National Museum of India, France Muséums was involved in a feasibility study (2024–2025) aimed at defining the strategic, urban and programmatic and functional foundations of the project:

• Comparative analysis of leading international museums and facilitation of consultation workshops (three days of workshops bringinf together aroung 50 professionals from India’s natinoal museums)
• Situation analysis and market research  
• Strategic vision and positioning of the future museum  
• Urban analysis and architectural feasibility  
• Drafting of the functional programme  
• Advisory support for the architectural competition