Hyderabad: The country’s first health museum located at Public Gardens here, which lay neglected for years under successive governments, is finally getting a facelift.
The state government has decided to restore the “very fine health museum” as described by Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1953.
The 69-year-old building is being spruced up, the damaged ceiling is being repaired at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. Exhibits will be cleaned, restored to its original shape or replaced with new ones.
“As the building was constructed with brick, lime and mortar, it has to be repaired with similar ingredients since cement cannot be used. The flooring is also being replaced with new tiles,” a health department official said.
Asked about the worn out exhibits, he said they would also be cleaned and restored to its original shape.
“In case, they have to be replaced it will be done. There was a dilemma whether to continue with the museum or not earlier. Now that it has decided to restore the museum to its past glory, not just the building, exhibits will also get a face lift,” he said.
This newspaper had highlighted the neglected museum on January 11 this year following which health minister Dr Laxma Reddy had promised to take a decision on the issue.
Located a stone’s throw away from the Legislative Council and Assembly buildings, the idea of the Health Museum was originally conceived in 1939. It took shape in 1948 and was first located at Chikkadpally. The museum was subsequently shifted to Trophy Hall (Jawahar Bal Bhavan) in Public Gardens in 1952 and inaugurated by then Chief Minister of Hyderabad State M.K. Vellodi.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru released a booklet in 1953 during a visit to Hyderabad. Later the museum was shifted to its present location in 1966.
A host of dignitaries from India and abroad visited the museum subsequently and paid compliments to the government for its foresight in setting up an educative museum. Children from various schools in Hyderabad and elsewhere in the state visit the museum even today.
