**Executive Summary**
This report details the development of museums under India’s Ministry of Culture, highlighting the progress of the Museum Grant Scheme over the last five years. As of March 19, 2026, the scheme has facilitated the establishment of 21 new museums, the development of 23 existing facilities, and the creation of digital and virtual museum experiences. The document also provides comprehensive footfall data for 61 national museums and science centers from 2022 to 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Museum Grant Scheme Overview**
* **Purpose:** Funding is provided for the establishment and development of museums at the Regional, State, and District levels.
* **Eligibility:** Grants are available to museums owned by Central/State Governments, Societies, Autonomous Bodies, Local Bodies, Academic Institutions, Public Sector Undertakings, and Trusts.
* **Regulatory Requirement:** Non-governmental entities must be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, to qualify for funding.
**Recent Achievements (Last Five Years)**
* **Infrastructure:** 21 new museums established and 23 existing museums further developed.
* **Modernization:** Completion of one major digitization project for museum collections and the establishment of one Virtual Experiential Museum.
* **Virtual and Digital Focus:** A specific Virtual Experiential Museum was established at the Salar Jung Museum in Telangana, and a digitization project was completed by an NGO in Karnataka.
**Institutional Performance and Footfall**
* **Scope:** The Ministry tracks the performance of 61 institutions, including National Museums, Science Cities, Regional Science Centres, and Archaeological Site Museums.
* **Visitor Trends:** Annual footfall data is recorded for the period 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 to monitor public engagement across various states.
* **Major Entities:** Key institutions listed include the Victoria Memorial Hall (Kolkata), National Museum (Delhi), and several Archaeological Site Museums such as those in Sarnath and Old Goa.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Culture / Central Government**
**Impact**
The Ministry is responsible for the oversight, funding, and reporting of museum infrastructure and cultural preservation across India.
**Action Required**
Continue monitoring the utilization of grants and provide formal updates to the Rajya Sabha regarding the progress of established and developing museums.
**State Governments and Local Bodies**
**Impact**
These stakeholders receive financial support to upgrade regional cultural infrastructure and preserve local heritage.
**Action Required**
Manage the implementation of development projects and ensure newly established museums are operational to meet public footfall expectations.
**Societies, Trusts, and NGOs**
**Impact**
Eligible private and semi-government organizations gain access to federal funds for specialized cultural projects, such as digitization and new museum settings.
**Action Required**
Must ensure they are registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and submit detailed proposals for the establishment or development of museums at the district or state level.
**General Public and Researchers**
**Impact**
The public benefits from improved access to cultural heritage through new physical museums, digital collections, and virtual experiential platforms.
**Action Required**
No direct action is required, though the data suggests a continued role in driving the "footfall" metrics used to gauge the success of these institutions.
Key Entities Referenced
Museum Grant Scheme: A central government initiative providing financial assistance for establishing new museums, developing existing ones, and digitizing collections across India.
Ministry of Culture: The primary government body responsible for the administration, funding, and oversight of museums and the Museum Grant Scheme.
Societies Registration Act, 1860: The legal framework governing the eligibility of registered societies and trusts to receive funds for museum development.
Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: The Union Minister for Culture and Tourism who officially reported the museum development progress and footfall data to the Rajya Sabha.
Ministry of Culture
DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUMS
Posted On: 19 MAR 2026 1:19PM by PIB Delhi
The number of museums functioning under the Ministry of Culture and their annual footfall during the last
three years are at Annexure-I
Under the Museum Grant Scheme, Ministry of Culture has established 21 new museums and
development of 23 existing museums, 01 Digitization of museum collections and 01 Virtual Experiential
Museum during the last five years as per details given at Annexure-II.
Under the Museum Grant Scheme, funds are given to Central/State Governments owned museums, and
museums owned by Societies, Autonomous Bodies, Local Bodies, Academic Institutions, Public Sector
Undertakings and Trusts registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 for establishment/development
of new/existing museums at the Regional, State and District level.
Annexure-I
The total number of museums functioning under the Ministry and their annual footfall in the last three
years
S. no. Name of Organization/museums Footfalls
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
1. National Museum, Delhi 245463 366628 420212
2. National Gallery of Modern Arts, Delhi 232467 182955 237781
3. Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad 972829 972432 917267
4. Allahabad Museum, Prayagraj 132520 91036 124699
5. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, 155145 467837 239209
Bhopal
6. Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata 3453394 3610181 3155931
7. Indian Museum, Kolkata 660381 671287 630307S. no. Name of Organization/museums Footfalls
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
8. Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML), 281064 517153 386588
Delhi
9. Science City, Kolkata 1573224 1628799 1497544
10. Birla Industrial &Technological Museum, 580461 600253 408810
Kolkata
11. ShrikrishnaScience Centre, Patna 979552 1032366 770861
12. North Bengal Science Centre, Siliguri 448694 379458 523327
13. Science Centre, Bardhaman 321733 239349 243591
14. District Science Centre, Purulia 400653 392300 233526
15. Digha Science Centre, Digha 542639 546983 522993
16. Regional Science Centre, Bhubaneswar 381323 243702 169310
17. Dhenkanal Science Centre, Dhenkanal 148795 123738 54236
18. Kapilas Science Park, Kapilas 26992 22134 20452
19. National Science Centre, Guwahati 929193 569357 539192
20. Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai 1092213 1234671 829012
21. Raman Science Centre & Planetarium, Nagpur 526075 588989 568219
22. Regional Science Centre, Bhopal 354387 237878 190735
23. DharampurScience Centre, Dharampur 349631 356340 305133
24. Goa Science Centre, Panaji 163518 248293 131385
25. National Science Centre, Delhi 673594 977864 1163943
26. Regional Science City, Lucknow 1978357 726846 468863S. no. Name of Organization/museums Footfalls
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
27. Kurukshetra Panorama &Science Centre, 758193 767569 665789
Kurukshetra
28. Visvesvaraya Industrial &Technological 997392 1097243 927942
Museum, Bangalore
29. Regional Science Centre, Tirupati 235563 274882 173730
30. District Science Centre, Gulbarga 279374 242891 203216
31. District Science Centre, Tirunelveli 214128 221650 341132
32. Regional Science Centre & Planetarium, Calicut 352188 442247 433989
33. Palampur Science Centre, Palampur 115094 127446 119229
34. Archaeological Site Museum, Amaravati 26145 21348 22112
35. Archaeological Site Museum, Nagarunkonda 65211 47377 60589
36. Archaeological Site Museum, Chandragiri 105489 110724 100647
37. Archaeological Site Museum, Halebidu 6175 13299 12778
38. Archaeological Site Museum, Chanderi 34370 31246 38244
39. Archaeological Site Museum, Gwalior 67982 67752 69981
40. Archaeological Site Museum, Sanchi 46573 49590 49292
41. Archaeological Site Museum, Ratnagiri 9577 15085 17814
42. Archaeological Site Museum, Konark 37786 49791 56308
43. Archaeological Site Museum, Ropar 10844 5075 6106S. no. Name of Organization/museums Footfalls
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
44. 1857- India's First War of Independence Museum 1022891 1227383 961654
45. Yaad-e-Jillia
46. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Indian
National Army
47. Azaadi-Ke-Diwane
48. Archaeological Site Museum, (Mumtaz Mahal
Museum)
49. Indian War Memorial Museum, Redfort
50. Archaeological Site Museum, Purana Qila 253564 131571 133475
51. Archaeological Site Museum, Aihole 108028 144937 106304
52. Archaeological Site Museum, Badami 40397 53365 44413
53. Archaeological Site Museum, Vijayapura 296231 377689 278865
54. Archaeological Site Museum, Old Goa 430738 379019 294946
55. Archaeological Site Museum, Kondapur 312 3 569
56. Archaeological Site Museum, Kalibangan 20179 24382 23173
57. Archaeological Site Museum, Bodhgaya 27306 29630 29547
58. Archaeological Site Museum, Nalanda 98635 128648 14197
59. Archaeological Site Museum, Vaishali 40106 28217 29912
60. Archaeological Site Museum, Sarnath 320992 503433 479209
61. Mattancherry Palace Museum 309953 395115 422081
Annexure-IIList of Museums comprising Setting up of new museums/ Development of existing museums/Digitization
of Museum Collection and Virtual Experiential Museum under the Museum Grant Scheme during the last
five financial years
S. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of
No. museum
Andhra ci. Museum, Eluru, West Godavari Dist. State Govt. Development
Pradesh Department of Archaeology & of existing
Museums, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh museum
zou. Museum, M G Road, Vijayawada, State Govt. Development
Krishna Distt. Department of of existing
Archaeology & Museums, Govt. of museum
Andhra Pradesh
Government of Andhra Pradesh, Padamshree State Govt. Setting of New
Kalluri Subbarao Memorial District Museum
Archaeological Museum Anantpur
Science City of Andhra Pradesh, Govt. of State Govt. Setting of New
Andhra Pradesh, Kailasgiri (Dovari Konda), Museum
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Archaeology and Museum, Govt. of Andhra State Govt. Development
Pradesh, Rallabandi Subba Rao Archaeology of existing
East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh museum
Arunachal Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Arunachal State Govt. Setting of New
Pradesh Pradesh, District Museum, Ziro, Arunachal Museum
Pradesh
Goa Museum of Christian Art, Goa, Annex NGO Development
Convent of Santa Monica, Old Goa of existing
museum
Gujarat Rajkot Rajya Foundation, Rajit Villas Palace, NGO Setting of New
Palace Road, Rajkot, Gujarat Museum
Himachal Dept. of Language and Culture Govt. of State Govt. Development
Pradesh b Himachal Pradesh, Bantony Castle, Shimla of museum
HP
Haryana NSG Wives Welfare Association (NWYA), NGO Development
Manesar, Gurgaon of existing
museumS. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of
No. museum
Karnataka Shivappa Nayaka Museum & Research NGO Setting of New
Bureau, Sri Bekkiinakalmatha, Shivamogga Museum
Karnataka
Kerala GALAXY, Karaunasai Road, Velland, P.O NGO Setting of New
Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram Museum
Leh Ladhak Deskid Cultural and Welfare Society, Deskid, NGO Setting of New
Gonpa, Ladhak Museum
Madhya Gujari Mahal Museum, Gwalior, Madhya State Govt. Development
Pradesh Pradesh (Govt. of MP) of existing
museum
Local Archaeological Museum, Sironj, State Govt. Setting of New
Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh Heritage Museum
Development Trust, Archaeology, Archives
and Museum, Banganga Road, Bhopal
Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, University Development
Madhya Pradesh of existing
museum
Maharashtra Funds & Properties of the Parsi Punchayet NGO Development
Bombay, of Framji Dadabhoy Alpiwalla of existing
Museum, Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Fort, museum
Mumbai
Symbiosis Society's for Development of NGO Development
Asian Cultural Museum, Pune of existing
museum
Manipur State Archaeology, Govt. of Manipur Imphal, State Govt. Setting of New
Manipur for 3 Galleries inside Kangla Fort, Museum
Manipur
Khongjom War Memorial Trust Khongjom NGO Setting of New
Bazar, Opposite Khongjom Police Station, Museum
Thoubal District, Manipur
Anallon Christian Development Committee Setting of New
(ACDC), Chandel, Manipur MuseumS. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of
No. museum
Mizoram District Museum, Lunglei, Director Art & NGO Setting of New
Culture Department, Chanmari, Aizwal Museum
Tribal Museum, Kamalnagar, Dist. Lawngtlai, Autonomous Setting of New
Chakma Autonomous District Council, Bodies Museum
Kamalnagar, Mizoram Mizoram
Nagaland Naga Traditional Museum, Khel, Kohima NGO Setting of New
Village, Kohima, Museum
Museum in Tsaru, Tuesang, Directorate of State Govt. Setting of New
Art and Culture, Kohima, Nagaland Museum
Odisha J. D Centre Of Art, VIP Colony, Nayapalli, NGO Setting of New
Bhubaneswar Museum
Punjab Punjab State Civil Aviation Council, Patiala Govt. Setting of New
Civil Aerodrome, Sangrur Road, Patiala, organization Museum
Punjab
Rajasthan Veer Shiromani Maharana Pratap Samiti, NGO Setting of New
Udaipur, Rajasthan Museum
Shri Girdhar Smarak Dharmarth Nyas Trust, Setting of New
(Shri Girdhar Smarak Trust) Kings Palace, Museum
Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum, Jaisalmer
Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, City Development
Palace, Jaipur Rajasthan of existing
museumS. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of
No. museum
Tamil-Nadu High Court of Madras, George Town, High Court Development
Chennai of existing
museum
Govt. Museum, Thirugokarnam, Pudukottai, State Govt. Development
Tamil Nadu of existing
museum
Government Museum St. Mark Road, Development
Samathanapuram Palayamkottai, Dist. of existing
Tiruneveli museum
Government Museum Trichy, Rani Development
Managammal Palace, Dist. Tiruchirapalli of existing
museum
Government Museum Ooty, Stone House, Development
Dist. Udhagamandalam of existing
museum
Department of Museum, Govt. Of Tamilnadu Development
for Development of Egmore Museum, of existing
Egmore (Iconic State Mueum, Tamilnadu museum
Tripura Maharaja Brendra Kishore Manikya museum State Govt. Development
& Kunjaban Palace Complex, Tripura of existing
Tourism Developmnt Corporation, Agartala museumS. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of
No. museum
Uttar Shahjahanpur Freedom Fighters Museum, Govt. Setting of New
Pradesh Office of Cantonment Board, Carriappa, organization Museum
Shahjahanpur
Allahabad High Court, Prayagraj, Uttar High Court Development
Pradesh of existing
museum
India Literacy board, Literacy House, Kanpur NGO Development
Pur Road, Lucknow of existing
museum
VRI Braj Culture Museum, Vrindavan NGO Development
Research Institute. Raman Reti Marg, of existing
Vrindavan, Mathura. U.P. museum
Uttarakhand Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Institute Development
Uttrakhand of existing
museum
West Bengal Directorate General Border Security Force Govt. Setting of New
(BSF) (Eastern Command), Kolkata Museum
Delhi International Society for Krishna NGO Development
Consciousness, East of Kailash (ISKCON), of existing
New Delhi museum
Virtual Experiential Museum
S. State Name of Organization Type of Org. Type of museum
No.
1. Telangana Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, Telangana Autonomous Virtual
body of MoC Experiential
Museum
Digitization of Museum collectionS. State Name of Organization Type of Type of museum
organization
No.
1. Karnataka Basava Samithi, Basava Bhavana, Sri NGO Digitization of
Basaveshwara Road, Bengaluru-560001 Museum
collection
This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in
a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
*****
M Annadurai
(Release ID: 2242381) Visitor Counter : 210
Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Bengali-TR