WHY WE VISIT MUSEUM

Times are tight in this economic climate, and it’s often easy to use a museum admission price as an excuse to stay at home. However, a recent study conducted by Harris Interactive finds that people are happier when they spend money on experiences rather than material purchases. According to Leaf Van Boven, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at CU-Boulder, experiences are shown to create more happiness than material goods because they provide positive personal reinterpretations over time. That is, as we revisit the memory of our trip to the museum, we have a tendency to psychologically weed out any negative memories (should there be any). Experiences, such as visiting a museum, can also become a meaningful part of ones identity and contribute to successful social relationships in a manner that material items cannot. So consider foregoing an outing for items that you may not need; going to the museum will make you happier in the long run. There are lots of museums all over the world . Have you ever thought why many people visit museums during their travel ? Visiting museums has different reasons. People visit museums because they want to know more about the culture of countries, and sometimes they visit museums just to be entertained. In fact , visiting museums is a quick way to learn more about other countries culture, and helps us to be familiar with their history. Museums reflect our ancestors beliefs, dreams, and artifacts. We can see for ourselves how people , centuries age , made cloths, shelters , house equipments and the like. As was said , some people visit museums just to be entertained. They are not interest in history . They only enjoy looking at the paintings , statues , ancient cloths and son on. I believe museums are manifestations of the cultures of countries . So we should pay attention to them. Museums are excellent opportunities for us to discover the way people lived , and learn for ourselves what made them prosperous and what hindered them from living well. This can teach us to lead better lives than the lives of our ancestors. Of course, we must have their eyes which can see beneath the surface!

PURPOSE

Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities throughout the world and more local ones exist in smaller cities, towns and even the countryside. Many museums offer programs and activities for a range of audiences, including adults, children, and families, as well as those for more specific professions. Programs for the public may consist of lectures or tutorials by the museum faculty or field experts, films, musical or dance performances, and technology demonstrations. Many times, museums concentrate on the host region's culture.Although most museums do not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and encourage a more hands-on approach. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of subject matter and introduced many interactive exhibits, which give the public the opportunity to make choices and engage in activities that may vary the experience from person to person. With the advent of the internet, there are growing numbers of virtual exhibits, i.e. web versions of exhibits showing images and playing recorded sound.Museums are usually open to the general public, sometimes charging an admission fee. Some museums are publicly funded and have free entrance, either permanently or on special days, e.g. once per week or year.Museums are usually not run for the purpose of making a profit, unlike private galleries which more often engage in the sale of objects. There are governmental museums, non-governmental or non-profit museums, and privately owned or family museums. Museums can be a reputable and generally trusted source of information about cultures and history.Definitions include: "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment, for the purposes of education, study, and enjoyment", by the International Council of Museums; and "Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society," by the UK Museums Association.

ORISSA STATE MUSEUM

Orissa state Museum is situated in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. Earlier it was located at Cuttack.It was founded in1932. After six years Orissa Government took over the charge of the Museum and announced it as the Orissa state Museum. This Museum mainly displays the art form and the culture of the region. The manuscript section of this Museum is specifically mentionable.
The huge collection of manuscripts has enriched the status of the Museum. It has a rare collection of manuscripts like palm-leaf manuscripts, bamboo leaf manuscripts, hand-made paper manuscripts, ivory manuscripts, bhurja bark manuscripts, and kumbhi bark manuscripts etc. Different types and shapes of manuscripts garland-shaped, fan-shaped fish-shaped, sword-shaped, rat- and parrot-shaped are also found here. Orissa state Museum also showcases four hundred illustrated manuscripts of coloured and monochrome variety. Some significant manuscripts like Gitagovinda of Kali Charan Pattnaik, Ushaharana, Ushavilasa etc and different varieties of cover design of palm-leaf manuscripts are also found here. Apart from manuscripts Orissa state Museum has a wonderful collection of copper plates, coins, stone inscriptions, age-old bronze tools and traditional & folk musical instruments, miniature paintings, patta paintings, brassware, and sculptures. It also contains a superb Epigraphy Gallery. The visiting period is scheduled from 10.00 A.M. TO 5.00 P.M except Mondays and other Government holidays. Museums of Orissa are the storehouses of its great tradition and culture. Large number of tourists from all parts of India and various other parts of the world visit this Indian state to have a look into its ancient architectural designs of the stupas, temples and various other artifacts which are reminiscent of the bygone ages. While on a tour of Orissa, one can pay a visit to some of the Orissa museums in order to catch a glimpse of the rich historical past of the state. Among some of the museums in Orissa, the Orissa State Museum is the most prominent. This museum came into being as a result of the initiatives taken by Professor Ghanshyam Dash and Professor N.C Banerjee of Ravenshaw College in the year 1932. They started to gather some of the exclusive and rare items related to the ancient historical past of Orissa. At first, the museum was stationed in the premises of the Ravenshaw College and from 1938 onwards it came to be known as Provincial Museum of Orissa. The exhibits the Orissa State Museum include artifacts relating to armoury, archaeology, numismatics, epigraphy, painting, anthropology, mining and geology. From the date of its establishment and till the present time, the Orissa State Museum is working for the proper preservation and display of the source and development of the glorious sculptures and art in Orissa.