Museums owned by Universities/Semi-Govt. Organisations

Museums owned by Universities/Semi-Govt. Organisations

1. P.G. Departmental Museum, Patna University, Patna

This museum was started with the beginning of the teaching of Archaeology by the Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, Patna University in the year 1960-61. The collection consists of different types of antiquities from Antichak, Oriup and Champa of the Bhagalpur district; Vaisali; Kumhrar of the Patna district and Chirand of the Saran ditrict. Besides, there are coins of different periods and other miscellaneous antiquities and ceramic examples from other sites of the state and the country as well.

This museum was established in the Department of History, G. D. College, Begusarai by the authorities of the College in the year 1946. The antiquities and art-objects, housed in the departmental hall itself, are displayed in showcases. The antiquities include stone and metal images belonging to the times of Guptas and Pals; terracotta figurines from Maurya to present times, beads of semi-precious stones, terracotta beads and sealings with inscription in Gupta and Pal script and a few miscellaneous finds and numerous ceramic specimens represented by the N. B .P. ware and later examples up-to Pal times.

After Patna University, the P.G. Department of ancient Indian and Asian Studies, (Magadh University) established a museum to collect and display the objects of archaeological and historical importance and also to acquaint the students with the antiquities of the region. The P.G. Department Museum has specimens of different kinds of potteries, terracottas and coins in its possession. The museum is supposed to impart training in the theory and practice of museum methods.

The State Art Gallery was established in 1951 with the Patna College of Arts & Crafts. The foundation stone of the Gallery was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The collection of paintings of renaissance, post- renaissance and modern times and foreign specimens from Nepal, Tibet and Japan has been kept in the Art Gallery. The miniature paintings are executed on paper, mica and ivory, while the contemporary ones are respectively in opal, water and pastel colours. A few graphic pictures and two figures, one each of terracotta and bronze and some black and white photographs are also noteworthy in the collection.

This museum, established in the year 1963, consists of folk musical instruments, costumes and jewellary. Besides, the collection also includes terracottas and ceramic specimens dated between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500, and stone sculptures belonging to Gupta and Pal periods.