The first gallery of the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, envisioned as the world’s largest museum, is set to open by late 2026, with the full concept expected within the next three years.
A consortium led by Arcop Associates has been chosen as the design consultant, with renowned architect Kulapat Yantrasast, known for his work on the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles and the Louvre’s new galleries, leading the project. The Ministry of Culture will soon appoint a dedicated content team to curate exhibits.
Located within the North and South Blocks of the Central Vista, the museum will span 1.55 lakh square metres, repurposing the historic government buildings designed by Edwin Lutyens. Restoration work has begun on the North Block, while the South Block will be vacated in the coming months.
The museum will feature eight sections across 30 galleries, displaying over 20,000 artefacts that trace 5,000 years of Indian civilisation. The inaugural gallery, titled Time and Timelessness, will explore India’s relationship with time through artefacts from the Indus Valley, Gupta, and Chola periods.
According to Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, construction will commence by year-end, with the first vertical ready by 2027 and an expected daily footfall of 50,000 visitors once fully operational.
