Cabinet Clears ₹3,230-Crore Plan to Turn North and South Blocks Into Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum

A Museum in the Heart of Power

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to a project that will convert the historic North and South Block complex in New Delhi into a public museum. The Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, estimated to cost ₹3,230 crore, aims to present India’s long history as one continuous civilisational story. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs confirmed the approval.

Scale and Design

The planned facility will cover a built-up area of roughly 1,78,509 square metres. Officials say that once complete it will have the largest display area of any museum in the world, a claim made by comparison with major institutions abroad. The government plans to blend modern exhibition methods, immersive technology and visitor-focused interpretation into the project.

Rather than gutting the two buildings, authorities intend to keep their architectural character and heritage value intact. The courtyards, corridors and rooms are expected to form part of the visitor experience, so the structures themselves become a component of the exhibits.

What the Museum Will Show

The institution is designed to go beyond single-theme collections on art, archaeology or individual leaders. Its galleries will explore India’s tangible and intangible heritage, covering architecture, urban development, mathematics, astronomy, languages and scripts, faith and spirituality, trade, and the spread of ideas across the subcontinent.

Phased Rollout and Costs

Work will proceed in stages between FY 2026-27 and FY 2030-31. The first gallery, themed on ‘Adornment’, is slated to open to the public in the North Block in the latter part of 2027. The budget covers gallery fit-out, collection storage and conservation facilities, visitor amenities, landscaping, intelligent building systems and supporting infrastructure. The cost estimate is based on detailed architectural, exhibition and engineering planning, along with technical assessments by the relevant agencies.

Revenue and Audience

Officials expect the museum to earn recurring income from ticketing, food and beverage outlets, events and venue hire, digital offerings, guided tours and retail. The facility is being prepared to accommodate up to one crore visitors annually. It is intended as a national public institution serving the general public, students, researchers, scholars and cultural practitioners, both domestic and international.

Background

The project was first announced by Prime Minister Modi on May 18, 2023. North and South Block have long housed some of the Union government’s most senior ministries. Their conversion into a museum is linked to the wider reshaping of the Central Vista, where government offices are being relocated and a new administrative layout is emerging.