PESHAWAR (National Times) Zahid Chanzeb, Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture and Archeology, along with the officials of Tourism and Archeology Department made a detailed visit to Peshawar Museum located adjacent to Governor House and Civil Secretariat Peshawar and witnessed its various parts. He expressed his satisfaction that the museum has preserved rare artifacts and statues including the Gandhara civilization belonging to this region, many of which traced back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Advisor Tourism and Archeology said that living nations always preserve their history and learn from it in the same way, and such nations, by dint of their continuous efforts, get out of the swamp of backwardness and reach the pinnacle of development with great speed, he added.
On this occasion, Director Archeology Dr. Abdul Samad showed him the dance floor of the Victoria Dancing Club that was later converted into the museum, which was built in 1907 with full splendor in the memory of Queen Victoria in a short period of one year.
Later, an Englishman, Bob Wrightson, leased it and turned it into a dancing studio and entertainment club. However, it was converted into a museum in 1974.
Dr. Samad told the Tourism Advisor that the museum is open for tourists seven days a week and is also a major source of income due to the rush of tourists. The uniqueness of this museum in the entire subcontinent is that 90% of the relics of the Gandhara civilization in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the entire life story right from the birth to the death of Buddha, who holds the status of a prophet in Buddhism, is preserved here. He said a total of 14 thousand artifacts of global importance are showcased in the museum, including Buddhist artefacts, early manuscripts of the Holy Quran, Mughal paintings and coins, relics of Kushan, Huns and other invaders and ancient tribal weapons, jewelry, Men’s and women’s dresses and handicrafts are noteworthy among them. He revealed that the artefacts of the museum were presented in various international exhibitions including Switzerland and received valuable awards due to great world recognition.
The Advisor Tourism appreciated that through information technology, barcodes have been placed along with the artifacts and sculptures kept in the museum cabinets and any domestic or foreign tourist can get their full details in their own language through their mobile application.
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Zahid Chanzeb, however, directed that the showcases of antiques and sculptures kept in various galleries and cabinets should also be made attractive by using modern technology so that the interest of tourists is maintained. Similarly, attention should also be paid to the promotion of these antiquities at the global level through virtual tourism.
The Advisor Tourism described the building of the museum as the best example of Mughal architecture and directed to ensure its maintenance.
