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.