A visit to a monument sometimes feels a little incomplete – though one obviously admires the building’s aesthetic, and marvels at the thought of a structure constructed hundreds of years ago and still surviving. One can also imagine all that occurred at the site in the centuries past, of the kings and queens, of the warriors and soldiers and the common man who might have walked the same paths before, but a lot is left to one's imagination. For those who want to know more, accurate information is often difficult to find. The signages and descriptions tell a little about the monument but one never learns the stories around it. Rarely does one find much about the individuals associated with the monument, their trials and tribulations, the way the monument came to be, and how it evolved over the centuries. The recently opened Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum takes care of all this and more.
Coming at the culmination of a long journey of conservation, restoration and revival of the Humayun’s Tomb, Sunder Nursery and NIzamuddin Basti, the sub-terranean museum, a partnership between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is next to Sunder Nursery and opposite Humayun’s Tomb. Designed by Delhi based Vir. Mueller Architects, the museum makes good use of exposed concrete and Red Sandstone, a material associated with the Humayun’s Tomb and in fact the Mughals themselves. As per the AKTC the architecture of the museum is inspired by the tradition of geometric forms that were integral to Mughal architecture. With its high ceiling, and skylights and courtyards allowing natural light in, the building itself celebrates the finesse of Mughal architecture.
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