Bapu Museum: High-tech to help visitors learn significance of antiquities

Vijayawada: The state's archaeological museum, the Bapu Museum here, is cited as the only one of its kind in the country to use high-end technology to explain the significance of its items on display. The museum employs new techniques that explain augmented reality, virtual reality and projection mapping, for this purpose.

This helps visitors learn about the historical importance and significance of nearly 1,400 to 1,500 objects. A QR code is arranged with each item. The visitors have to download the in-house app called ‘Bapu Museum’ on their mobile phones, so that they can scan the QR code.

This will enable the visitors to listen to an audio explanation about the significance of several items. This practice would be adopted for the remaining antiquities too.

The museum also resorts to virtual reality to explain matters. Visitors have to wear the goggles so that they can watch the Araku Valley virtually. They can enjoy the feel of moving in the valley and of even a ‘travel by train’ enjoying nature’s beauty in the valley.

The museum uses projection mapping for about 30 to 40 minutes where they can see the scenes getting screened on the walls of Victoria Building with regard to AP’s freedom struggle and AP’s history with narration in Telugu language.

The museum also has a theater that screens films based on scientific fictions etc for 25-30 minutes.

A laser show would also be arranged for 30-40 minutes to present the National Flag designed by Pingali Venkayya and reconstruct the arrest of top leaders of the Indian National Congress during the freedom struggle.

The museum has nearly 1,350 antique items dating back from 10 lakh BC to the 18th and 19th centuries AD, collected from several archaeological sites across the state over a period of time. They are arranged in a chronological order for the benefit of the visitors to understand their historic importance.

The museum remains open from 10.30am to 5pm throughout the week except on Fridays. The authorities charge an entry fee of Rs 50 for an adult and Rs 30 for a child.

Archaeology department assistant director (museums) Swami Naik said, “The Bapu Museum is the only archaeological museum in the country that uses high-end technology to present the historical significance of antiquities in various forms for the benefit of visitors.”

However, it is felt that lack of adequate publicity to the museum results in poor patronage from visitors. The authorities say they have been even using social media platforms apart from conventional means to reach out to the people. The museum also faces a funds crunch and staff shortage.