Srinagar, May 18: On International Museum Day today, hundreds of school children visited the two museums in Srinagar and Jammu to have a date with the rich Kashmiri heritage.
 The Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums had arranged free entry and guided tour of SPS Museum, Srinagar and Dogra Art Museum, Jammu to create awareness and interest in museums.
 The staff introduced the visitors to paintings, decorative art, textiles, arms and armoury, anthropology, numismatics, manuscripts, and natural history.
 At SPS Museum, the largest batch of 257 girl students of Arya Samaj School, Hazuri Bagh was the first to arrive. Accompanied by teachers, Director Archives, Archaeology & Museums, Khalid Bashir Ahmad received them in the presence of Deputy Directors, M S Zahid, Peerzada Muhammad Ashraf and Curator, Mushtaq Ahmad Baig.
 Khalid said the free entry to children and a tour was to generate interest among the youth in the J&K heritage. He said the observance of IMD provided occasion for the museum professionals to sensitize people about the importance of safeguarding heritage. He said overwhelming interest shown by students was an encouraging sight and could auger well for the protection and preservation of the State’s heritage.
 An exhibition on Decorative Art of Kashmir was a special attraction for children. Other educational institutions whose students visited the museum include DAV HSS, Jawahar Nagar, Government GHSS Kothibagh, Rahimia Educational Institute, Noor Bagh and Bilalia Educational Institute, Lal Bazar.
 The SPS Museum is one of the richest museums having collection of objects dating back to 3rd-4th century AD while in numismatic section the oldest collection, Punchmark coin, dates back to 500 BC.
 A new multi-storey museum complex, adjacent to the old building is nearly complete.
 The Dogra Art Museum has a rich manuscript collection in the shape of Shahnama and Punj Ganj Nizami (illustrated) of Mughal period and Ramayana in Persian script.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 IST