Old Goa (Goa): Asia’s first ever Christian Art Museum located at Old Goa, near here, is heading for a major renovation and upgradation due to which it would be shut down for next around two years, a senior official said today.
“The Museum has embarked on a major, exciting and prestigious project aimed to keep pace with present day World standards of Museuology and museography as well as vastly enhance the facilities for visitors and staff and to create an inviting and comfortable space for people to visit through an interesting museographic plan and contemporary exhibition systems,” Natasha Fernandes, Curator, Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa said today.
The museum would be closed for around two years, she said.
The project also includes the setting up of a much needed Restoration and Conservation unit which in the immediate term will carry out, with the able assistance of INTACH, the conservation of the unique collection of art objects so as to guarantee their survival for future generations.
The Museum of Christian Art, Goa was set up in 1994 with technical and financial assistance by The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Portugal and The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage,(INTACH), New Delhi.
Fernandes said that the museum has enriched the cultural heritage and history of Goa, with an important and unique collection of Indo-Portuguese art objects in ivory, gold, silver, wood and textiles spanning from the 16th Century to mid 20th Century and recognized the World over as the first of its kind in Asia.
During its shut down time, some of the art objects from the Museum collection will be displayed in the Church of Santa Monica, Fernandes said.
The museum which has total 157 art objects on display will undergo the work on renovation and upgradation by selected expert contractors under the guidance and supervision of a team of Architects, Engineers and Museologists from the Museum, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and INTACH.
“The conversation work will be executed by an expert team of conservators from INTACH and will ensure that the unique collection of art objects will be preserved for posterity,” she added.
The facility has most of the collection is from the 16th and 17th century. “We have a painting of St Ursula that is attributed to the mid 16th century,” she said claiming it to be the oldest object here.
There is also the model of the tomb of St. Francis Xavier (in ivory) is from mid 20 century dated 1965.
Fernande said on an average 6,500-7,000 visitors arrive here to see the museum, which is part of World Heritage Monuments of Old Goa.
“The footfalls increase significantly from October – February,” she added.
Fernandes said that the museum is hoping that with the vastly improved visitor experience being planned, there will be a substantial increase in footfalls.
“In this respect the Museum needs the Media’s assistance to ensure that the people for whom the Museum had been set up, are made aware of the treasure they have and will visit and support the Museum, and. thereby preserve, for posterity, Goa’s rich cultural heritage,” she said.
The museum witnessed a heist two years back with dacoits robbing couple of priceless articles from here and on the way they had fatally hit the security guard.
She said after the unfortunate heist, the museum has 24×7 CCTV surveillance of the Museum.
“We also have 24×7 security guards, including an armed guard at the Museum to ensure safety of the collection as well as visitors. We also have panic alarms that are connected to the police telephone lines as well as surrounding church in charge who when alerted, can reach the Museum within minutes.”
Fernandes said security will be significantly enhanced in the refurbished Museum including strategically placed security sensors at various places in the Museum.
Team TNV
