The Victoria Memorial- An Overview (An Old and Rare Book)

Preface Victoria Memorial Hall, a landmark in the city of Kalkata, contains a rich collection of valued matertala relating to the history of Inilia: and researchers would find it to be w privilege to work on it. At least, I felt like that when I took up this research work.

During my research on this Memorial Hall, I have worked in a number of institutions and individuals. I express my gratitude to them all Apart from the Victoria Memorial Hall, the Institutions where I have worked Kolkata Police Museum: Indian Museum Library, National Library, Kolkata: State Archives, Kolkata: Calcutta University Library, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture Library, Golpark, Kolkata, Those who helped me in various ways Dr. Chittaranjan Panda, Secretary & Curator. Victoria Memorial Hall Dr. Mahua Chakrabarti. Lecturer, Department of Museology, University of Calcutta.

Introduction Before going into details about the nature and history of Victoria Memorial Hall, we would propose to determine first the character of this Memorial. It can broadly be called a special type of Historical Museum. To different types of Historical Museums namely. Archaeological Museum, Antiquity Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Open Outdoor Museum and Cultural History Museum. Historie Houses can also be added. Historic Houses show Important persons in their habitat or houses showing architectural forms of the period Victoria Memorial Hall can be called a Historic House by its own right, as it is a specimen of architectural form constructed in the first and second decade of the twentieth century. Moreover though it is not a habitat of Queen Victoria, It contains objects used by or associated with her. With these. other objects relating to the British rule in India are here preserved too. Though this museum possesses some objects connected with post Independent India, but it’s important collections are related to Queen Victoria's reign.

Precisely. Memorial Hall can be called a Personalla Museum. Personalla Museum is an attempt to bring in remembrance as well as understanding the meaningful life of a great person, who has contributed much towards the development of human society. In personalla Museum personal collections are preserved, simultaneously relics are connected directly or Indirectly with the life of the person in whose name it is established. In Victoria Memorial. audio-visual aids including photographs, contemporary newspapers, Son et Lumler etc... are used for the benefit of the visitors. In this sense, though Queen Victoria did not stay here, yet as it contains relics connected with her. It can be called a Personalia Museum.

Thus Victoria Memorial Hall is a Memorial Museum of a special type, in which are synthesised the characteristics of Historical Museum and Personalia Museum.

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