Pudukottai Government Museum waits for facelift

History lovers and local activists have expressed concern over the poor condition of the 116-year-old Government Museum in Pudukottai and have urged the authorities to escalate the conservation of over 3,000 artefacts on display here.

Established in Thirugokarnam by the erstwhile Thondaiman rulers of the Pudukottai samasthanam in 1919, the museum was handed over to the government in 1948 after the princely State entered the union. It underwent a major facelift in 2013 to mark the centenary celebrations of the Pudukottai State.

Special galleries for metalware and an auditorium were among the facilities added to the museum in the 2013 renovation. A robotic dinosaur, which roars and moves in a limited circle, attracts crowds of curious visitors.

However, of late, the museum is showing signs of decline as some sections have been closed to the public and several artefacts have been shifted into display cases without any apparent order.