Today, the second edition of the International Museum Expo started in Science City, Kolkata.

Dr Shekhar C Mande, chairman, Governing Body, NCSM, and former DG, CSIR, secretary, DSIR, graced the occasion as chief guest in the presence of Mugdha Sinha, joint secretary, GLAM division, ministry of culture and many other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Commemorating International Museum Day, the International Museum Expo is organised every year starting 18 May. The first edition was organised last year at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

As a part of the expo, the exhibitions “Oppenheimer’s Peaceful Explosion”, “Innovative Edifices: The Structures and Vessels of Science Communication”, “Narratives Reimagined: Interactive Techscapes in Museum Storytelling”, “Brilliance Beyond Borders: Our Triumphs, Trials, and Travails at the Science Nobels”, “Echoes of Ingenuity: Reminiscences of the Industrial Evolution”” and “Indian Women in Science: Busts and Murals” are on display at the Science City, Kolkata.

Apart from these, visitors can also go through the digital panorama film on Durga Puja, Canvas Cyclorama: The Pulse of Indian Artistry,” which suggests a continuous panoramic canvas, while “Pulse of Immortal Artistry” implies that the art is alive and has a heartbeat, inviting viewers to experience the timeless spirit of Indian art in a novel way. Apart from these, the mascot of the expo is also on display.

After the first session, Sarah Kenderdine, director of the Lab for Experimental Museology at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, delivered the keynote address on “Computational Museuology: Art and Science in the Age of Experience.” This was followed by a mesmerising Odissi dance performance by renowned artist Dona Ganguly.

“Motivated by the stupendous success of the first edition, we are happy to bring the second edition of the International Museum Expo to the city of Kolkata, from where India got its first museum in 1814. This year, we are focusing on education and research in and through the science museums and centres. Science museums play a significant role in not only developing scientific temperament in society but also in supplementing formal science education in a non-formal setting,” said Mugdha Sinha, joint secretary, GLAM division, ministry of culture.

A D Choudhury, director general, NCSM, said, “We are excited to host the second edition of the prestigious International Museum Expo at Science City, Kolkata. The expo provides a platform where museum professionals, enthusiasts, and creative minds come together and contribute to the development of museums in different capacities through the exchange of ideas, networking, and initiating holistic conversations about museums. I hope the expo will expand its horizons in the coming years.”