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Citizens Charter

VICTORIA MEMORIAL HALL

1, QUEEN’S WAY, KOLKATA-71

 

Citizen’s Charter:

 

HISTORY

  1. Conceived by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of British India, on the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.
  2. Expected to be a living institution in memory of the Queen with particular emphasis on Indo-British history.
  3. Raised on a land measuring sixty four acres
  4. Contributions obtained from the Indian Princes and people totaling more than Rs. 80 lakhs in those days.
  5. Foundation stone laid by the then Prince of Wales, later King George V, on January 4, 1906.
  6. Formally opened to the public in 1921.

 

GOVERNANCE

  • An autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture (MoC)
  • Victoria Memorial is governed by
    • Victoria Memorial Act, 1903 (as amended from time to time)
    • Victoria Memorial Rules, 1973
    • Victoria Memorial Service Regulations, 1987
  • Board of Trustees empowered to acquire and hold property, to enter into contracts and to do all that is necessary for and consistent with the purpose of the Act
  • Secretary & Curator is the Chief Executive of Victoria Memorial Hall.

 

OUR VISION

  • To be the premier period museum in the world on Indo-British history in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries

 

OUR MISSION

  • The mission of the VMH is to function as the premier art gallery, museum, research library on art history and museum studies, and cultural space in the city of Kolkata.
  • In order to pursue this mission, it collects, conserves and disseminates knowledge among the general public about art objects, historical relics, and documents relating mainly to Indian history in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
  • In addition to the exhibits on permanent display, the VMH also organizes regular special exhibitions, lectures, publications, cultural programmes and interactive educational activities – both on-site and in different parts of India and abroad – in its four focal areas of activity, namely, art, culture, heritage and the environment.
  • The VMH promotes research through its research fellowships and library resources, networks extensively with other museums, historical societies and the academia.
  • It seeks to promote positive social change through its outreach activities with non-museum organizations and community groups.
  • It always strives to be – and is recognized by the wider community – as a museum without walls.

 

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

Museum:

  • A period museum focusing on Indo-British history.
  • Collection of 28,394 objects, including oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, lithographs, photographs, rare books and manuscripts, stamps and postal stationery, coins and medals, arms and armour, sculptures, costumes, personal relics, etc.
  • Many of them displayed in 9 existing galleries. Temporary exhibitions are held throughout the year.
  • Recently acquired 5,000 paintings of Bengal School of Art on enduring loan from Rabindra Bharati Society
  • By far the most-visited government museum in India, and one of the most-visited museums in the world (34 lakh gallery visitors in the year 2014-15).

 

As Education Centre

  • Organizes Lectures/Seminars/Workshops on Art, Culture, History, and Heritage on regular basis.
  • Celebrates important national / international/ days by organizing various programmes.
  • Library has 15,000 books including rare ones. Leading library of art history and museology in Bengal
  • Organizes programmes for involvement of visitors, specially students, in museum activities.
  • Light & Sound show(under renovation) on history of Calcutta

 

Art Preservation Centre

  • VMH has full-fledged Restoration/ Conservation Unit.
  • Also provides technical support to other institutions in conservation/restoration.
  • Has provided technical assistance to museums in North Eastern States in recent past.
  • Organizes training /workshops for both in-house staff and other museum professionals regularly.

 

Entertainment Centre

  • VMH with its vast and picturesque garden, together with pathways and waterbodies, is a huge attraction for people.
  • The iconic building built in the Indo-Saracen style is also a big draw.
  • Gardens alone annually visited by very large crowds.

OUR CLIENTS

  • Visitors
  • Students
  • Morning and Evening Walkers
  • Research Scholars
  • Many eminent persons in various Cultural fields e.g. Films, Arts, Paintings etc. 
  • Foreigners

 

EXPECTATION FROM CITIZEN

  • We expect from citizen of India to give their feed back after observation of exhibition of art objects and artefacts exhibited in different galleries of VMH and also suggestion for improvement of the existing system of exhibition & preservation of the Art & Artefacts  

SALES

 

PAINTINGS

  • India as seen by Simpson (set of 5 prints)
  • India in the Eyes of the Daniells (set of prints)
  • Select Views of India (set of 5 prints)
  • Charles D’Oyly’s Calcutta – Album one
  • Charles D’Oyly’s Calcutta – Album two
  • Natural History Paintings: series -1
  • Natural History Paintings: series -2
  • Natural History Paintings: series -3
  • Picture Folio No. -1
  • Picture Folio No. -2
  • Picture Folio No. -3

 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Modern Masters
  • India: Land and People
  • Catalogue of exhibition on Mother Teresa
  • Catalogue of exhibition on Gaganendra nath Tagore
  • Catalogue of exhibition on Krishna- Iconographic Representations

SOUVENIR ITEMS

  • A set of 10 picture post cards on Mughal Miniatures
  • 3 different key chains with motifs from the Victoria Memorial collection
  • 3 different coffee mugs with motifs from the Victoria Memorial collection
  • The Picturesque Ganga
  • Spiral note pads with motifs of Kalighat Paintings
  • 2 sets of picture post cards with paintings of Jamini Roy.

 

FOR MORE DETAILS

Please contact to the Secretary and Curator , Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

Phone No. 2223 -5142/2223-1889

E-mail: vicmem@gmail.com

Explore The Collection

See also