The Union Ministry of Culture announced a partnership with the France Museums Développement (FMD) to develop the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum (YYBNM) in Delhi on Thursday.
The museum is part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. The site will span approximately 1,55,000 square metres across the North and South Blocks in Delhi and have 8 segments showcasing 10,000 years history of India.
The event was attended by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and FMD president Herve Barbaret.
Jaishankar said, “India and France see each other as important poles in a multipolar world... Countries become poles or see themselves as part of multipolarities because that is an expression of their independence, of their own ability to think about the world and think in terms of for the world. And that independence at the end of the day comes from very deep cultural and civilisational confidence that those countries have.”
The Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the International Museum Expo in May 2023. Under this new agreement, India and France will collaborate on a feasibility study, which will include museum case studies, interpretive planning, and building programming.
Talking about the project, Barbaret said that France’s expertise in museum development, demonstrated through projects like the Grand Louvre, will play a key role in the development of the YYBNM. The museum will be developed through Adaptive Reuse, a method France is known for in projects like the Louvre, Grand Palais, and Hôtel de la Marine. The transformation of the historic North and South Blocks will ensure their architectural preservation while converting them into functional cultural spaces.
{{/usCountry}}Talking about the project, Barbaret said that France’s expertise in museum development, demonstrated through projects like the Grand Louvre, will play a key role in the development of the YYBNM. The museum will be developed through Adaptive Reuse, a method France is known for in projects like the Louvre, Grand Palais, and Hôtel de la Marine. The transformation of the historic North and South Blocks will ensure their architectural preservation while converting them into functional cultural spaces.
{{/usCountry}}Shekhawat responding to a question by HT regarding the timeline of the project said that there is “no definitive” timeline yet, however, he informed that it is going to take place in 2 phases starting from the North Block which houses Finance and Home ministry and end with the South block which houses the External Affairs Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Shekhawat also said that work in North block has been started.
Responding to another question by HT regarding the status of the current National Museum in Janpath which has been a source of controversy with several opposition MPs raising concerns over its future and alleged plans of demolishment by the Centre, Shekhawat said, “We have lots of ideas for its usage so we will think of that but rest assured, it will not be demolished neither cease of being accessible and of use.”
The adaptive reuse model follows France’s “Grands Projets” initiative, where government buildings were transformed into iconic cultural venues. The Louvre is one of the most prominent examples of this approach. The Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum will follow a similar framework to repurpose these government buildings into a world-class museum.
Talking about the challenges of adaptive reuse in India, Barbaret said, “Comparision between India and France is not possible in this regard since this is going to be the largest museum dealing with larger footfall, but we bring a unique expertise. It certainly is a complex issue since here we need to think that it’s going to be in the centre of the national capital so there are going to be security concerns as well.”
This partnership builds on a Letter of Intent signed in 2020, which emphasised cooperation in the fields of museum and heritage development. The recent visit of Prime Minister Modi to Paris in 2023 further solidified the collaboration and led to a second Letter of Intent, outlining specific areas of technical cooperation for the museum.
Shekhawat said “This landmark partnership with France will transform the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum into a global beacon of India’s rich cultural heritage. Serving as a shining beacon of India’s rich and vibrant heritage, the YYBNM is poised to illuminate the journey toward a progressive and inclusive future. Far beyond the traditional idea of a museum, it will redefine the cultural experience by celebrating diversity, fostering inclusivity, and amplifying the voices of our communities. This iconic institution will not only honour India’s timeless legacy as the cradle of democracy but also inspire generations to come by bridging the past, present, and future in a powerful narrative of Modern India.”