Cabinet approves Development of Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum at North and South Block Complex, New Delhi

Posted On: 11 NOV 2026 3:05PM by PIB Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved the development of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) at the North and South Block Complex, New Delhi, at an estimated total project cost of ₹3,230 crore, as appraised by the Public Investment Board (PIB).

Point-wise details

The Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum is envisaged as a landmark civilizational museum showcasing the continuity, diversity and richness of Bharat's civilizational heritage through an integrated narrative of its tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

The Museum will be developed through the adaptive reuse of the historic North and South Block Complex, preserving their architectural character and heritage significance while transforming them into a public cultural institution.

Spread over a proposed built-up area of approximately 1,78,509 square metres, the Museum will integrate contemporary museum practices, immersive technologies and visitor-centric interpretation. Benchmarked against major international museums, Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum is going to be the museum the largest display area in the world.

The Museum will present India's civilizational journey through curated thematic galleries, exhibitions and interpretation of its diverse cultural traditions, knowledge systems, artistic practices and heritage.

The project encompasses gallery development, collection storage and conservation facilities, visitor amenities, integration of technologies and immersive experiences, landscaping, intelligent building systems and associated infrastructure.

The Museum is being developed in alignment with international best practices in museum planning, heritage conservation, exhibition design and sustainable cultural management, adapted to India's diverse cultural context.

Background

The establishment of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum was announced by the Prime Minister on 18 May 2023.

The historic North and South Block buildings, following the relocation of Government offices, provide a unique opportunity for their adaptive reuse for a significant public cultural purpose. The project seeks to preserve the architectural and heritage character of these iconic buildings while giving them a new institutional role.

The proposal was appraised by the Public Investment Board (PIB) on 27 July 2026, and the Ministry of Culture has concurred with its recommendations.

Implementation strategy and targets

The project will be implemented in a phased manner over FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The first inaugural gallery on the theme of Adornment is expected to open to public in the North Block in the later part of 2027. A modular approach is being formulated to add more galleries. The content and collection analysis is being done and around 1.8 Million objects have been identified from National Museum and other Ministry of Culture Museums, 52 ASI site museums and various other state museums and private collections to be displayed in the YYBM.

Other galleries are being developed on the themes such as Architecture and Cityscapes, Mathematics and Astronomy, Languages and Scripts, Faith and Spirituality and Bharat Connects - Trade and Ideas, among others.

Implementation will be undertaken through coordinated project management, design and technical oversight, quality assurance and periodic monitoring.

Major impact, including employment generation potential

The Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum is expected to have significant cultural, educational, economic and employment-related outcomes.

Preservation of civilizational heritage: It will provide an integrated institutional platform for presenting India's civilizational evolution, continuity and diversity, strengthening the preservation and dissemination of tangible and intangible heritage.

Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings: The project will give a significant public cultural purpose to the historic North and South Block buildings while retaining their architectural and heritage character.

Cultural tourism and international engagement: The Museum is expected to emerge as a major cultural destination, attracting domestic and international visitors and strengthening India's global cultural presence and soft power.

Education and research: It will provide opportunities for public learning, academic research, knowledge exchange and engagement with India's diverse cultural traditions and knowledge systems.

Employment generation: The project is expected to generate direct and indirect employment during its construction and operational phases, creating opportunities for artisans, craftspeople, researchers, museologists, designers, performers and other creative professionals, besides supporting livelihoods in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Promotion of Make in India: Through structured vendor development initiatives, the project will encourage domestic manufacture of world-class museum materials and products, creating opportunities for Indian artisans, manufacturers, conservation professionals and technology providers.

Visitor-centric and inclusive infrastructure: Contemporary museum technologies and accessible visitor facilities will enhance public engagement and improve the overall museum experience.

Expenditure involved

The total estimated project cost is ₹3,230 crore, based on detailed architectural and exhibition design, engineering and museum planning requirements, including technical assessments undertaken by the concerned agencies.

The Museum is also expected to generate recurring revenue through ticket sales, food and beverage facilities, events and venue rentals, digital experiences, guided tours, retail outlets and other visitor services. The Museum is being equipped to handle a visitor flow of 1 crore visitors in a year.

No. of beneficiaries

The Museum is envisaged as a national public cultural institution, catering to the general public, students, researchers, scholars, cultural practitioners, domestic and international tourists and other visitors.

As a public cultural and educational institution, it will provide opportunities for learning, research, cultural engagement and appreciation of India's civilizational heritage. A fixed beneficiary count is not applicable to this project.

States/districts covered

The Museum will be located at the North and South Block Complex, New Delhi. While the physical infrastructure is concentrated in the National Capital, the institution is envisaged to serve visitors from all States and Union Territories of India, as well as international visitors.

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Core Engineering Features

• Standardized Fired Bricks. Builders constructed drains and wells using kiln-fired bricks in a uniform 1:2:4 ratio. Unlike sun-dried mud bricks, fired bricks resisted water damage and heavy monsoon rains. [1] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bgXI1MrdRs&t=65)

• Tapered Terracotta Pipes. Vertical clay pipes carried wastewater down from upper floors. Sections were crafted with one slightly wider end so they could slot tightly together, minimizing leaks and allowing easy repairs. [1] (https://youngscientistindia.org/kBase/kbinventions/2025/Flush%20Toilets%2012-25.pdf), [2] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bgXI1MrdRs&t=65)

• Private Wells and Water Lifting. Most homes or neighborhood blocks had dedicated circular wells lined with wedge-shaped bricks to withstand underground soil pressure. Residents drew water using ropes, buckets, and lifting devices like the shadoof. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanitation_of_the_Indus_Valley_Civilisation), [2] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bgXI1MrdRs&t=65)

Household Toilets and Bathing

• Indoor Bathing Platforms. Homes featured dedicated washing rooms with sloped, watertight floors. Used water flowed out through a hole in the outer wall directly into street channels. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_water_supply_and_sanitation), [2] (https://youngscientistindia.org/kBase/kbinventions/2025/Flush%20Toilets%2012-25.pdf), [3] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlFkY4zZwAc&t=61)

• Early Flush Toilets. Toilets were built into the outer walls of homes over vertical chutes. Users poured jars of water drawn from the household well to flush waste into the drainage network. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet), [2] (https://youngscientistindia.org/kBase/kbinventions/2025/Flush%20Toilets%2012-25.pdf), [3] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanitation_of_the_Indus_Valley_Civilisation)

Municipal Sewer and Water Networks

• Covered Street Drains. Wastewater from individual homes emptied into brick-lined channels running beneath main streets. Stone slabs or loose bricks covered these drains to block odors and allow workers to lift them for routine cleaning.

• Cesspits and Filtration. Before sewage exited the city, drains fed into brick-lined soak pits (cesspits). Solid waste settled at the bottom to be periodically cleared for agricultural fertilizer, while liquid runoff drained away.

• Reservoirs and Stepwells. In drier regions like Dholavira, engineers carved massive stone reservoirs and channels to harvest and store rainwater. Later periods expanded on this tradition by building intricate stepwells (baolis) across the subcontinent to access fluctuating groundwater. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanitation_of_the_Indus_Valley_Civilisation), [2] (https://youngscientistindia.org/kBase/kbinventions/2025/Flush%20Toilets%2012-25.pdf), [3] (https://www.facebook.com/groups/archeologyandcivilizations/posts/3146021615491341/), [4] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlFkY4zZwAc&t=61)

If you'd like to explore this further, I can dive into:

The engineering of Dholavira's rainwater reservoirsThe Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro and how it was waterproofedHow later Indian stepwells (baolis) worked

Which area interests you most?

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