Ganga Singh Museum

Ganga Singh Museum In the year 1950 A.D. the museum at Bikaner was taken over by the Government of Rajasthan. Since then it has been functioning as one of the Regional museums of Rajasthan under the Director of Archaeology and museum, Government of Rajasthan.

The history of the museum at Bikaner (Rajasthan) goes back to the early decades to the last century. The engagement of Dr. Luigi Pio Tessitori, an Italian scholar, on 6^th December, 1915 by Maharaja Shri Gangasingh the then ruler of the state, for conducting the historical and bardic survey of the region. Ushered a new era in the cultural arena of the state with the indefatigable labors of the Italian scholar, a vast horde of archaeological wealth, consisting of proto-historic material remains, besides terra cottas, sculptures epigraphs coins etc. of the subsequent period was brought of light. It paved the way for the establishment of temple of Muses in the desert state of Bikaner.

In 1937 A.D., the art treasures so acquired from the various parts of the state added with a number of other objects of general interest, spared by Maharaja Shri Ganga Singh himself, for the museum from his own palace, were housed in a newly constructed building during the Golden Jubilee celebration of his reign. The new institution was name Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum and Lord Linlithgow the then Governor General of India, inaugurated it in the afternoon of the 5^th November 1937 A.D.

To make the art treasures easily accessible to the common public Maharaja Sadul Singh transferred the collection from the old museum to  ”Ganga Niwas Mahal”  in the Junagarh Fort. It remained there up to the year 1954 A.D.

Meanwhile, the necessity of a scientific museum building equipped with all the modern facilities, was badly felt by the authorities. The result is the present building. It was the enthusiasm of Kunwar Jaswant Singh of Daudasar the then Prime minister of Bikaner state, who managed to prouder funds from  the Golden Jubilee Trust for for the construction of new museum building. The collection was then transferred to the new building museum open to the public on 4^th September 1954 A.D. The museum building is provided with a first rate auditorium which is one of the chief centres of the cultural activity of the city.

Bikaner Tourism

Bikaner Tourism is home to one of the only two models of the biplane used by the British during World War I. They were presented by the British to Maharaja Ganga Singh, then ruler of the city. Another unique aspect about Bikaner are the sand dunes that are scattered throughout the district, especially from the north-east down to the southern area. Bikaner is situated in the northern region of Rajasthan. One of the earlier established cities, Bikaner still displays its ancient opulence through palaces and forts, built of red sandstone, that have withstood the passage of time. The city boasts of some of the world’s best riding camels and is aptly nicknamed ‘camel country’. It is also home to one of the world’s largest camel research and breeding farms; as well as being known for having its own unique temple dedicated to Karni Mata at Deshnok called the Rats Temple.