The 135-year-old Napier Museum, one of Thiruvananthapuram's historic landmarks, is going in for a makeover. In an effort to preserve the Museum, the Kerala State Archaeology Department is abandoning its conventional lighting system and replacing it with LED (light-emitting diode) lighting. This move is expected to reduce the building's energy usage and carbon emissions from lighting by nearly 50 percent over a 20-year period, and reduce the carbon footprint as well.
Napier museum is one of the oldest museums in the country. With its unique ornamentation and architectural style, the museum will become one of the first heritage buildings in Kerala's capital city to completely shift to LED lights. The total estimate for the conservation work to be completed in two phases is Rs 1.6 crore.
A restoration project is also on the anvil for this historic museum, though the keyword is minimum intervention. The focus of the conservation programme will be on retaining the tradition of the building, while giving special emphasis to minute details such as the colour of the walls and the gum that has been mixed with the lime.
The original structure of this museum was built in 1857 at the bidding of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore. Later, the old building gave way to a new structure named after Lord John Napier, the Governor General of Madras presidency, designed by the famous architect Mr. Robert Chisholm who completed work on it in 1880.
The architecture of the Museum is an elegant blend of Chinese and Mughal style with Kerala's traditional forms of construction. It stand tall and stately with its minarets, gothic roofs, stained glass windows, high arches, intricately carved balconies, etc.
The Museum exhibits include traditional Kerala craft, ivory carvings,eyhnic antiques such as stone sculptures, wood and ivory carvings, bronze idols of Hindu gods and goddesses, stone sculptures, lamps, fabrics, Kathakali miniatures, handicrafts, Kuftgiri items, musical instruments and a collection of the Chera. Chola, Pandya coins. A four hundred-year-old clock and a herbal coat used by the Maharajas of Travancore are among the many priceless attractions.
Napier museum is one of the oldest museums in the country. With its unique ornamentation and architectural style, the museum will become one of the first heritage buildings in Kerala's capital city to completely shift to LED lights. The total estimate for the conservation work to be completed in two phases is Rs 1.6 crore.
A restoration project is also on the anvil for this historic museum, though the keyword is minimum intervention. The focus of the conservation programme will be on retaining the tradition of the building, while giving special emphasis to minute details such as the colour of the walls and the gum that has been mixed with the lime.
The original structure of this museum was built in 1857 at the bidding of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore. Later, the old building gave way to a new structure named after Lord John Napier, the Governor General of Madras presidency, designed by the famous architect Mr. Robert Chisholm who completed work on it in 1880.
The architecture of the Museum is an elegant blend of Chinese and Mughal style with Kerala's traditional forms of construction. It stand tall and stately with its minarets, gothic roofs, stained glass windows, high arches, intricately carved balconies, etc.
The Museum exhibits include traditional Kerala craft, ivory carvings,eyhnic antiques such as stone sculptures, wood and ivory carvings, bronze idols of Hindu gods and goddesses, stone sculptures, lamps, fabrics, Kathakali miniatures, handicrafts, Kuftgiri items, musical instruments and a collection of the Chera. Chola, Pandya coins. A four hundred-year-old clock and a herbal coat used by the Maharajas of Travancore are among the many priceless attractions.
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