31°34'06.4"N 74°18'29.3"E
Lahore Museum currently holds more than 60,000 different artifacts
The Best Time to Visit Punjab Province is Year long as it has bearable Cold winters and Hot Summers. However, Summers can get really Hot and precautions are recommended during Daytime visits.
Located on Mall Road, Lahore Museum stands as the oldest and largest museum in Pakistan. It houses an extensive and diverse collection that reflects the cultural, artistic, and historical evolution of the region. The museum's building itself is a significant example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, designed by Sardar Bhai Ram Singh. This architectural design, executed under the supervision of Rai Bahadur Ganga Ram, the then Executive Engineer of Lahore, remains a point of interest in its own right.
The museum was formally established in 1858 and initially housed in Wazir Khan's Baradari. This structure served as the museum's home until 1864. During this period, it became apparent that the Baradari could no longer accommodate the growing number of exhibits. The Punjab Exhibition of Industrial Arts and Crafts, held in 1864, led to the transfer of the museum's entire collection to a newly constructed Exhibition Hall. This hall later became known as the Tollinton Market. According to the Gazetteer of the Lahore District 1893-94, the building was hastily constructed for the 1864 exhibition and was not intended to be permanent. Nevertheless, it housed the museum collection for nearly three decades.
The Great Exhibition of 1864, organized by the British government, aimed to display products from various parts of India. Deputy Commissioners were assigned the task of gathering unique artefacts from their respective districts. The exhibition resulted in a substantial increase in the museum's collection, particularly in the areas of antiquities, natural history, and ethnography. By March 31, 1868, the collection had expanded to over a hundred specimens. The museum was organized into four departments: Raw Products, Manufactured Articles, Antiquities and Coins, and Natural History. The growing public interest in the museum prompted further institutional development.
Lahore Museum is an example of Indo Saracenic Architecture
In 1875, the Mayo School of Arts was established adjacent to the future site of the museum. Its earliest block, now known as the Kipling Block, was completed in 1881 and hosted the Punjab Exhibition of 1881-82. This proximity played a significant role in the eventual relocation of the museum. In 1887, during Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, a decision was made to construct a permanent building for the museum. It was conceived as part of the Victoria Jubilee Institute, a provincial institution intended to house a museum, library, and lecture rooms for technical instruction. A public fund was established, and Rs. 162,000 were collected for the construction.
Lattice Screen or Jali in Lahore Museum
The design of the new complex was prepared by John Lockwood Kipling, Principal of the Mayo School of Arts, in collaboration with his student Sardar Sahib Bhai Ram Singh. Kipling, also the first principal of the Mayo School and father of author Rudyard Kipling, served simultaneously as the Curator of the Lahore Museum. The foundation stone was laid on 3rd February 1890 by Prince Albert Victor, grandson of Queen Victoria. The building, occupying an area of 27,850 square feet, was completed in 1893. Upon its completion, the museum collection was relocated from the Tollinton Market to the new structure. The old building was subsequently sold to the Municipal Committee, which converted it into a market.
The new red-brick Indo-Saracenic building was attached to the Mayo School of Arts, facilitating a close academic link between art education and the study of artefacts. This physical and institutional proximity allowed students of the arts to engage directly with historical objects. In front of the museum and the school lies the historic Zamzamah gun, also known as the 'Bhangian-wali Top' by the Sikhs. It was manufactured in 1761 AD by Shah Wali Khan and remains a prominent feature at the site.
Following the Partition of British India in 1947, the museum's collection was divided between Pakistan and India. During the 1950s, the building underwent significant repairs and reorganization. Further renovations were carried out in the 1960s, including the addition of new galleries to accommodate the expanding collection. Today, the museum houses approximately 60,000 artefacts.
The museum is widely recognized for its unique assemblage of objects spanning the Buddhist era, the Indus Valley Civilization, and the modern period. Among its most valued possessions is the sculpture of the Fasting Siddhartha. Additionally, the museum features a notable collection of miniature paintings and works by prominent modern Pakistani artists such as Abdur Rehman Chughtai and Anna Molka Ahmed.
Galleries of Lahore Museum
Presently, the museum's collection is organized into several galleries, each dedicated to a specific theme or period. These include the General Gallery, Contemporary Paintings Gallery, Miniature Paintings Gallery, Pakistan Movement Gallery, Postage and Stamps Gallery, Manuscripts Gallery, Coins Gallery, Prehistoric and Indus Gallery, Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Gallery, Gandhara Gallery, Ethnological Gallery, Islamic Gallery, and Sikh Gallery.
A small bookstore and souvenir shop named Kim's Bookshop is also located within the museum premises. Established in 1968, the shop offers a range of publications on art, architecture, and history, contributing to the educational role of the museum.
Lahore Museum continues to function as a key cultural and historical institution in Pakistan, preserving and presenting artefacts that document the region's diverse heritage. Its location, architectural significance, and expansive collections underscore its role in the broader narrative of South Asian museology and heritage conservation.
Detail in spandrels of Arches
Lahore Museum's building is a distinguished example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, a style that developed in British India during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known also as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, or Neo-Mughal, this architectural form is a synthesis of Indian, Islamic, and European elements, particularly those drawn from Gothic Revival and Neoclassical traditions. It merges indigenous motifs with features of Western architecture, resulting in a hybrid style that characterizes many public and institutional buildings from the colonial period.
The museum building faces north and is accessed from the Mall Road. To the west lies the National College of Arts, formerly known as the Mayo College of Arts. To the south are the Punjab Public Library and Wazir Khan’s Baradari, the latter having served as the museum's earliest location during its formative years. Tollinton Market, the second location of the museum after the Baradari of Wazir Khan, is also in the vicinity.
According to the Gazetteer of Lahore District 1893–94, the museum originally covered an area of 27,850 square feet. In 1916, this space was expanded to 35,582 square feet to address the increasing needs of the institution. Additions to the original plan continued until 1929, reflecting a growing collection and institutional development.
The structure is constructed in red brick, a material that resonates with Mughal architectural aesthetics, particularly the red sandstone and brick used in historical buildings. The elevation presents a symmetrical facade, a hallmark of Mughal design, and includes architectural features such as pointed arches, onion-shaped domes, lattice screens in windows, and chatris (domed kiosks). The central onion dome is flanked by smaller domes, reminiscent of the design used in monuments such as Humayun’s Tomb. On each corner of the main cuboid form, symmetrical chatris enhance the Mughal aesthetic. European influence is evident in the engaged square columns found at the corners of the structure.
Lahore Museum is an example of Indo Saracenic Architecture
The entrance to the building is marked by a prominent portico constructed of white marble. Measuring 30 feet square, this northern-facing portico forms the primary access point to the museum. It is arcaded with three arches, supported by intricately carved white marble columns. The design evokes the elegance of Shah Jahan’s Diwan-e-Khas, with its geometric and floral motifs delicately etched into the marble. The white marble entrance stands in striking contrast to the surrounding red brick facade, serving as a formal pishtaq, a rectangular framed portal often seen in Mughal architecture.
The Great Bath Model at Lahore Museum
Beyond the portico is a vestibule that serves as a transitional space leading to the central gallery. This vestibule is rectangular in shape and features a ceiling adorned with wooden carvings in traditional Islamic patterns. From this space, visitors enter the main entrance gallery, which runs 96 feet and 6 inches from north to south and 26 feet and 6 inches from east to west. This central gallery now houses the Miniature Paintings Gallery.
Branching from this central space are a series of galleries accessible via passages on both sides. To the right are the Contemporary Painting Gallery, Indus Gallery, and Sikh Gallery. To the left are the Gandhara Gallery, the Islamic Gallery, and the Hindu-Buddhist Gallery. These spatial arrangements reflect both curatorial planning and the architectural layout of the museum, offering an organized and thematic visitor experience.
The museum's architectural design demonstrates a careful integration of functional requirements with aesthetic elements drawn from a rich blend of traditions. The use of Mughal and Islamic motifs in conjunction with European structural features encapsulates the spirit of Indo-Saracenic architecture, contributing to the museum's enduring historical and architectural significance.
All Photographs by Syed Noor Hussain and Sania Azhar.
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