MY VISIT TO A MUSEUM

MY VISIT TO A MUSEUM

Points: Introduction – Its location – The advantage of a visit to the Museum – The things we see in the museum – The museum provides both instruction and amusement – Conclusion.

The museum is a place where you can see a collection of rare things and things of historical interest. It is a store house of all wonderful and valuable things.

The Lahore Central Museum is situated near the Town Hall. In front of it runs the Grand Trunk Road, and opposite to it stands the University hall with its lofty clock-tower. The museum is housed in a massive building which consists of many big halls. It is managed by an officer called the Curator.

A visit to the museum is an education in itself, and for this reason it is visited by hundreds of people every day. Travelers from foreign countries also make it a point to visit it because it enables them to form an idea of the arts and crafts of Pakistan. Women and children also go to the museum in large numbers every day. They perhaps do this out of idle curiosity.4essay.blogspot.com

When we enter the first hall, we find many pictures hung on its walls. These pictures are of old kings, saints and statesmen. Some of these are drawn purely from the imagination. All of them, however, provide a feast of colours for the eye. If we were to take a student of painting with us he would tell us many interesting things about these pictures and paintings.

The museum also gives us an idea of the handicrafts of the province. At one place we find a collection of the articles of everyday use, while at another place we find beautiful articles, which are meant for purposes of Show only. Side by side with lovely hand loom cloth, we find costly lungis from Mashad and Peshawar. A pair of shoes which costs only Rs.120 is displayed by the side of another the price of which also runs into three figures.4essay.blogspot.com

In this way one finds in this hall the pottery of Multan, the woodwork of Gujranwala, the shawls of Kashmir the carpets of Karachi, and so on.

There is also a large collection of old daggers, swords, shields, weapons, and ornaments.

A zoological section is also attached to the museum. It comprises collection of stuffed animals, birds, reptiles and fishes. Perhaps the most interesting collection is that of statues of Buddha and Buddhisatvas. Some of them are the finest specimens of sculpture, and were dug up from under mounds of earth at Taxila or the Swat Valley.

To mention all the collections in the museum is a very difficult task. But it may be mentioned in passing that the museum contains a model house, a beautiful model of a steam-engine, a miniature Persian wheel and many other beautiful things.

People say that they feel dull if they read too much. If however, one wants to get information without feeling bored, one ought to visit a museum. There one reads history "without tears", learns to take interest in one's surroundings, and begins to appreciate the value of cottage as well as large-scale industries of one's own country.

In the end, it must be said that the museum is well worth a visit. A day spent in it is not a day wasted, but a day utilized in the best way possible.