BALURGHAT: Dakshin Dinajpur Museum, located beside the District Administrative Building in Balurghat, has been temporarily closed as the Public Works Department (PWD) of South Dinajpur has begun extensive renovation work on the structure. The museum, housed in a former British-era jail established in 1910, was converted into its present form in 2004 and has since served as the repository of the district’s rich archaeological heritage.
For years, the museum has been managed by just one gallery attendant and one Group-D staff member, who handle all its daily operations.
Officials say that the lack of adequate manpower remains a major challenge in preserving and maintaining the vast collection. The ongoing renovation aims to address structural decay and modernise visitor facilities. Large portions of the main building and boundary walls were in a dilapidated condition, prompting urgent repairs. A new drainage system is also being constructed.
As part of the upgrade, a nearly 5,000 sq ft modern gallery is being built. New toilets, drinking water facilities and designated internal pathways for visitors are being added to enhance public experience.
Work is underway under the close supervision of the PWD and the administration hopes to reopen the museum in a refurbished form within the next few months. Renowned Balurghat historian Samit Ghosh highlighted the significance of the museum’s collection.
“The Balurghat Museum houses Buddhist sculptures from the Pala, Sena and Gupta periods, along with statues of Surya, Vishnu, Manasa, Ardhanarishwar and the Navagraha. There are numerous copper and silver coins from the Sultanate period, palm-leaf manuscripts, zamindari records, terracotta artefacts, broken stone pillars, wood murals and stone relics. Despite such a vast archaeological collection, the museum has no catalogue, which is essential. Also, the number of staff must be increased,” he said.
Precious artefacts frequently surface from areas like Harirampur, Gangarampur, Kushmandi, Kumarganj and Tapan during pond digging and many of these finds ultimately make their way into the Balurghat Museum. With school excursions and ongoing academic research, authorities believe the museum can develop into a key hub for historical studies in the district.
South Dinajpur District Magistrate Balasubramanian T said: “The PWD is carrying out comprehensive renovation work. After taking charge, I reviewed the papers. Many internal repairs are underway. Facilities like toilets and drinking water for visitors did not exist earlier, and these are now being added.”