The Partition Museum

The Town Hall in Amritsar is a historic building that has witnessed a tumultuous century, and is a 5-minute walk from Jallianwala Bagh, the scene of the massacre of thousands of women, children and peaceful protestors by General Reginald Dyer in 1919, and is also very close to the historic Golden Temple.It is part of a heritage zone, and is a 30-minute drive from Wagah, which marks the boundary between India and Pakistan.

The partition of the subcontinent by the British in 1947, and the creation of a 3-part, 2-nation map (West & East Pakistan (the latter now Bangladesh), and India) witnessed the largest mass migration that humanity had ever known. In one of the greatest and most painful upheavals of contemporary history, over fourteen million migrated to a new homeland on the other side of a quickly demarcated border, leaving behind precious memories. This is a poignant yet powerful story, which has never been told before within an experiential museum, anywhere in the world. 

The Museum will thus raise the veil of silence that surrounds Partition. The Museum is principally, a people’s museum, with oral histories and narratives gathered from their experiences of migration, along with documents, art, music, photographs and other memorabilia. As the affected generation passes on with the passage of time, there is a particular to record their stories, gathering both their memories and their memorabilia.

The Museum is also planned as a resource centre for the study and understanding of the Partition. It is a state-of-the-art, interactive museum with digital technology and audio visuals, catering to the interest of all age groups and accessible to the masses. Since its launch in early 2015, the project has received enormous national and international support, and media attention. Several universities, institutions, museums and private archives have helped to gather sources, including oral histories, documents, artefacts, and other materials.