State Archaeology Museum at Panaji is one of the most popular tourist attractions. There are seven galleries in the museum and it houses a number of different types of artifacts broadly categorized in different parts. These are Sculpture Gallery, Christian Art Gallery, Banerji Art Gallery, Religious Expression Gallery, Cultural Anthropology, Contemporary Art Gallery and Western Bronze Gallery. The museum has more than 8000 objects that include among other things, Stone Sculptures, Wooden Objects, Bronzes, Paintings, Clay models, Manuscripts and other anthropological objects.
In the Sculpture Gallery of the State Archaeology Museum you will find various types of statues made of cut out of stone. There are also a number of bronze statues. These objects have great artistic values. among objects of remarkable significance, there is a copper plate that dates back to 1049 AD. The oldest object in the museum, a fossil bone, is 10000 B.C. old. In the Christian Art Gallery, you will find portrait of Christian Saints and images that relate to Christian theology. The portrait of Governor and Prime Minister of Goa under the Portuguese rule is displayed.
Mr. S. K. Banerji was the Governor of Goa. He has contributed a rich collection of valuable artifacts to make this museum a popular place of tourist attraction. The terracotta objects are worth the acclaim. Finest example of Rajasthani Miniature Painting can be found here. The museum also has gallery for contemporary art. Tourists flock to the Western Bronze Gallery to see work of arts by wonderful European artists like Claude, Dalon and others.
Every year during the second week of January, Museum Week is celebrated. Various programs are organized and new collections are displayed. |
