Kochi: The Centre has sanctioned a Rs six crore project to introduce modern scientific exhibit systems at the Trippunithura Hill Palace museum as part of developing the largest archaeological museum in the state.
“The modernisation work will be taken up once the state-government-funded renovation works get completed. We’ve already completed the conservation work of ‘Ettukettu’ and built a new Reception-cum-Information centre that will be opened to the public from Saturday onwards,” said Dr G Premkumar, Director of Archaeology.
The Hill Palace is the state’s first heritage museum noted for royal collections of the erstwhile Maharaja of Kochi. Built in 1865, the palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, sprawled over 52 acres of beautifully landscaped terraced land which houses a deer park and facilities for horse riding.
“The conventional display systems will be changed completely and the museum will boast of superior lighting facility. Reference libraries, touch-screen kiosks for visitors and LED screens for better visibility are some of the additions planned under the new project,” he said.
So far renovation works costing Rs one crore has been completed and includes, among others, the setting up of the Reception-Cum-Information system, tarring of roads, reconstruction of the entrance steps that had deteriorated, and a fresh coat of paint to the entire infrastructure building.
“The public, starting from tomorrow can get a brochure from the Centre which contains all information about the Palace. They can also buy a new book brought out by the department on all major 12 archeology conservation museums in the state,” Prem said.
The Centre would be inaugurated at a function at 4 pm on Saturday in which ministers K C Joseph, K Babu and Anoop Jacob will attend.
