CCEA Clears Rs 3,230 Crore Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum Project

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the building of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum at the North and South Block complex in New Delhi. The estimated project cost is Rs 3,230 crore, a figure appraised by the Public Investment Board. The Ministry of Culture is the nodal ministry.

Size and claim to fame

The museum will occupy a proposed built-up area of roughly 1,78,509 square metres. Measured against the big international museums, it is expected to end up with the largest display area in the world. The design brings in immersive technology and interpretation built around the visitor rather than the object alone.

Adaptive reuse, not new construction

The museum is being created by converting the historic North and South Block buildings to a new use once government offices move out, a method known as adaptive reuse. The architectural character and heritage value of the two blocks are to be kept intact even as they become a public cultural institution.

Timeline and galleries

• Phased execution across the financial years 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• The first gallery, on the theme of Adornment, is expected to open to the public in the North Block in the later part of 2027.
• More galleries will be added in a modular fashion, on themes such as Architecture and Cityscapes, Mathematics and Astronomy, Languages and Scripts, Faith and Spirituality, and Bharat Connects: Trade and Ideas.

The collection

Around 18 lakh objects have already been identified for display. They come from the National Museum and other museums of the Ministry of Culture, from 52 site museums of the Archaeological Survey of India, and from various state museums and private collections.

Background and impact

The Prime Minister announced the museum on 18 May 2023. The Public Investment Board appraised the proposal on 27 July 2026 and the Ministry of Culture agreed with its recommendations. The institution is being equipped to handle a footfall of 1 crore visitors a year, and is expected to earn a recurring income from tickets, food and beverage outlets, events and venue rentals, guided tours, digital experiences and retail. The government expects direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, for artisans, craftspeople, researchers, museologists, designers and performers, besides work in hospitality and tourism. Vendor development is also meant to push domestic manufacture of museum-grade materials under Make in India.