EARTH-SCIENCE MUSEUMS IN INDIA

Earth Science Museums play a vital role in imparting knowledge to students and scholars by providing basic information on the natural resources. The Geological Survey of India has the largest number of ESMs in the country. Universities with a Geology Department have ESMs though not on such a large scale like the G.S.I. Within the last four years, two modern ESMs have been established at Neyveli and Ranchi. The importance of museums and national parks in educating the common man is stressed. The history of the ESMs in India is outlined and the two modern museums at Neyveli and Ranchi are described in detail. The technique of modelling prehistoric animals like the dinosaurs which form part of a museum by dynamic and animated movements with acoustic background is stressed. New Innovations change of display material occasionally adds a new dimension to the quality and attractiveness to the museum. A list of national parks with museums and life-sized fibreglass models of prehistoric animals is given. The two ESMs established at Neyveli and Ranchi are to a limited extent based on the lines of some of the famous museums such as Smithsonian, the American Museum, the Field Museum, the Carnegie Museum, Yale Peabody Museum, and the British Museum of Natural History. The need for more ESMs in India using latest techniques in museology for better display is stressed.