Hyd's Salar Jung Museum to reopen from Nov 10

After remaining closed for nearly eight months, Hyderabad's famous Salar Jung Museum will re-open to the public from Tuesday.

The museum authorities announced on Sunday that the museum will be reopened with precautionary measures for visitors.

Wearing a face mask/cover will be mandatory for visitors at all times during the visit. They will be screened for body temperature at the entrance.

The museum director said adequate physical distancing of at least six feet should be followed.

Senior citizens, vulnerable groups, pregnant women, infants and toddlers may avoid visit, the museum.

One of the major tourist attractions in this historic city, Salar Jung Museum was closed for public on March 22 with the imposition of lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.

The museum was initially closed for a week from March 15 after the Telangana government ordered a week-long shutdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.

With the imposition of country-wide lockdown, the museum remained shut.

Popular as the world's largest one-man collection of antiques, the museum located on the banks of Musi river is considered a must on the itinerary of tourists.

Every day 3,000 to 4,000 people visit the museum and on weekends and holidays the numbers go up to 6,000.

Though popular as the world's largest one-man collection of antiques, it is actually the collection by three generations of a family of nobles who served as prime ministers of Nizams, as the rulers of princely State of Hyderabad were known.

Spread over 10 acres of land, the museum has 9,000 manuscripts, 43,000 art objects and 47,000 printed books. Galleries exhibit artefacts including the ones that date back to the 4th century. It has Indian Art, Far Eastern Art, Children Art, European Art, Middle Eastern Art and Founders' Gallery.

The biggest attraction at the museum is the 19th century British Musical Clock. Visitors assemble in the clock hall every hour to watch tiny mechanized figures emerge through a door to strike the toy bell.

The other prized possession of SJM includes a veiled marble statue of Rebecca created by Italian sculptor G.B. Benzoni. There is a set of ivory chairs presented by Louis XVI of France to Tipu Sultan of Mysore.