Cabinet Nods Rs 3230 Cr Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum in Lutyens Delhi

New Delhi: The North and South blocks of Lutyen Delhi that once housed Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and key ministries like defence, home, foreign and finance will soon be converted into a museum as the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday cleared the government’s dream project — the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) — a world class museum at an estimated total project cost of Rs 3,230 crore.

The government, however, said that the proposed museum in the national capital will be developed through the adaptive reuse of the historic North and South Block complex, preserving their architectural character and heritage significance, showcasing India’s civilisational history spanning 10,000 years in the two nearly century-old buildings that served as the seat of the Union government, while at the same time transforming them into a public cultural institution in the country.

Spread over a proposed built-up area of approximately 1,78,509 sq metres, the museum will integrate contemporary museum practices, immersive technologies and visitor-centric interpretation. The government has also fixed March 2031 as the deadline for the project’s completion. “It is envisaged as a landmark museum showcasing the continuity, diversity and richness of India’s rich civilisation legacy through an integrated narrative of its tangible and intangible cultural heritage,” the officials said.

Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, union minister Ashwani Vaishnav said that as it has been benchmarked against major international museums, the YYBM is going to be the largest display area in the world. “The CCEA chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today has approved the development of the YYBM at the North and South Block Complex, New Delhi, at an estimated total project cost of Rs 3,230 crore, as appraised by the Public Investment Board (PIB),” the CCEA said in a statement.

Modi had announced this ambitious museum project on May 18, 2023. The museum will present India’s civilisational journey through curated thematic galleries, exhibitions and interpretation of its diverse cultural traditions, knowledge systems, artistic practices and heritage. “The museum is being developed in alignment with international best practices in museum planning, heritage conservation, exhibition design and sustainable cultural management, adapted to India's diverse cultural context,” the CCEA said.

“The project will be implemented in a phased manner over FY’2026-27 to FY’2030-31. The first inaugural gallery on the theme of 'Adornment' is expected to open to the public in the North Block in the latter part of 2027,” the CCEA said, adding that the total estimated project cost is Rs 3,230 crore, based on detailed architectural and exhibition design, engineering and museum planning requirements, including technical assessments undertaken by the concerned agencies.

The government also said that the museum is also expected to generate recurring revenue through ticket sales, food and beverage facilities, events and venue rentals, digital experiences, guided tours, retail outlets and other visitor services. “It is being equipped to handle a visitor flow of one crore visitors in a year. The project is envisaged as a national public cultural institution, catering to the general public, students, researchers, scholars, cultural practitioners, domestic and international tourists and other visitors,” it said.