Recently launched Google Art project has made it possible to explore the museums from around the world online. Discovering and viewing hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and creating and sharing own collection of masterpieces is fun on Google Art. However the museums so far covered by Google Art are mostly from Europe and America.

So what if you want to have similar online experience when it comes to the museums of Gujarat? Can’t you have equal joy of watching the collection of old weapons of Junagadh museum, or wonderful art pieces of Vadodara museum?

If everything goes according to Gujarat government’s plan, you will be able to watch Gujarat’s museums online in next couple of years. While we don’t know whether the quality and facilities will be matching to Google Art Project or not, the government sources say we would get something closer to that.

According to state government’s budget draft of year 2011-12, a decision has been made to purchase virtual museum builder software at a cost of Rs. 20,00,000 for computerization and data entry of state’s 15 Government museums under the Directorate of the Department of Museums.

The draft proposal says: “There are 15 Government Museums under the Directorate of the Department of Museums. The information of these exhibits are required for visitors, students, scholars and experts. If the exhibits are computerized, the information in this respect can be provided immediately and the information can be provided to the world if it is online. It is essential to purchase Virtual Museum Builder Software for computerization and data entry. For this purpose Rs.20,00,000/- is required in the year 2011-12. Accordingly, it is proposed to provide an amount of Rs.20,00,000/- in the Budget Estimate of the year 2011 -2012 for which, this new item is presented.”

Kutch, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Prabhas Patan(Somnath), Saputara, Shamlaji, Vadnagar, Chhota Udepur, Lady Wilson Museum, Darbar hall museum and Sardar Patel museum are covered in the proposed scheme of online exhibition.

In another development the Government has proposed Air conditioning of auditorium and exhibition hall of Baroda Museum and picture gallery. The government has also proposed to prepare a landscaping and sculpture garden at Prabhas Patan museum, Somnath.

The government has also included Rs. 25,00,000 in the budget for purchase of showcases for display, the exhibits, tran slide/kiosk, electrification, furniture and CCTV cameras for security and allied hardware for under-construction museum at Siddhpur.

A video of Google Art Project