India to build mega-museum with world’s ‘largest display area’

India's cabinet has greenlit a monumental museum project that will display the nation's history and civilization, according to the government. This colossal museum, named Yuge Yugeen Bharat, is projected to cost around US$340 million and boast the world's largest display area. First unveiled in 2023, the initiative has gained traction as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist administration has placed renewed emphasis on India's pre-colonial cultural identity.

The museum, set to be constructed in the former civil service offices in New Delhi, known as North and South Blocks, will span a proposed built-up area of approximately 178,509 square meters. Benchmarking against prominent international museums, the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum is poised to be the one with the largest display area globally.

India's cabinet described the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum as a landmark civilisational institution that will highlight the continuity, diversity, and richness of Bharat's (India's) civilisational heritage. The first gallery is anticipated to welcome visitors by the end of 2027, with the project slated for completion by the financial year 2030-31.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assumed national leadership in May 2014, has been instrumental in promoting India's heritage and culture. His government has undertaken several initiatives, including the construction of the world's tallest statue, a 182-meter monument to Vallabhbhai Patel, and the revamp of New Delhi's historic administrative district.

The museum aims to serve as a national public cultural institution, offering opportunities for learning, research, cultural engagement, and appreciation of India's civilisational heritage. The museum is designed to accommodate up to 10 million visitors annually, with around 1.8 million objects sourced from national and state museums, archaeological collections, and private holdings earmarked for display.