The North Block, which previously housed the ministries of finance and internal affairs, is preparing to reopen in less than a year. It will serve as the venue for the first gallery of one of the world's largest museums.
The government announced on Wednesday that the Yugee Museum Bharat (YYBM), announced three years ago, will open to the public next year. This became possible after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a museum development plan valued at 3,230 crore rupees. The project will cover the North and South Blocks and occupy an area of about 1.8 lakh square meters, equivalent to 25 football fields.
After construction is completed in 2031, the museum's exhibition area will be 1 lakh square meters, exceeding the area of the Louvre (73,000 sq. m) and the British Museum (70,000 sq. m).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on social media platform X that the vision of the Yugee Museum Bharat is for New Delhi to become home to the world's largest exhibition space. He emphasized that the museum will present the heritage of thousands of years of India—from ancient systems of knowledge, mathematics, and astronomy to architecture, art, languages, and spirituality—through immersive experiences and world-class galleries.
The project, which is slated for completion by March 2031, will cost almost two and a half times more than the construction of the new Parliament building. The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ashwini Vaishnaw, told journalists that the museum's goal is to demonstrate India's complete 'civilizational odyssey' using modern technology while maintaining the architectural integrity of the two buildings on Raisina Hill, which were until recently the center of power.
The Ministry of Culture, overseeing the project, planned to open the first gallery by the end of 2026. According to officials, the ministry will soon begin work on designing the gallery, which will focus on the theme of 'ornamentation' in the North Block. This gallery is expected to showcase the aesthetics that have defined India's civilizational path through the ages, using images of jewelry and decoration.
A modular approach is being developed to add additional galleries. Content and collection analysis is currently underway: approximately 1.8 million items have been identified from the National Museum, museums of other culture ministry institutions, 52 museum complexes of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and various state and private collections that will be featured in YYBM.
Although the museum will open next year, the metro station near Gurdwara Rakabganj is likely to become operational by June 2029. It will serve as an important link, as about 70% of visitors are expected to arrive via the North Block entrance. Officials clarified that the initial plan to create an underground tunnel between the North and South Blocks has been canceled, and an above-ground connection will now be provided.
The museum is also expected to generate regular revenue through ticket sales, food service, events, venue rentals, digital experiences, tours, and retail outlets. TOI learned that the CCEA approved the Ministry of Culture's proposal to generate annual revenue of about 163 crore rupees from renting out five auditoriums and event spaces, seven food courts, and ticket sales.
In its proposal, the ministry specified the ticket price for Indians at 100 rupees and for foreigners at 1,000 rupees. Given the scale of the project, a separate CEO and four deputy CEOs will be appointed. According to sources familiar with the project, around 262 jobs will be created, including curators and support staff.
