Patna: Bapu Tower in Gardanibagh hosted a lecture programme on Sunday to mark World Museum Day, with discussions centred on the theme, “Museums of the Future”.
The event, held at the Bapu Tower auditorium, brought together government officials, museum experts, academicians and students to discuss the changing nature of museums in the digital age.
Focus on digital and biopic museum experiences
Opening the session, Bapu Tower director Vinay Kumar spoke about the evolution of museums and the growing use of digital technologies in exhibition design.
He described Bapu Tower as a modern biopic museum where exhibits are presented through digital mediums. He said museums have continuously adapted over time, with increasing emphasis on storytelling, curation and qualitative value addition.
Kumar added that museums play an important role in connecting people with their historical and cultural past.
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Bihar health department secretary Kumar Ravi attended the programme as chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Ravi congratulated participants on World Museum Day and said Bapu Tower represented a contemporary form of museum practice. He noted that while multimedia technologies would increasingly shape museum experiences, the relevance of traditional museums was unlikely to diminish.
Experts discuss AI, virtual museums and sustainability
The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr Ajfar Ahmad, director of Planet Patna, who presented an overview of the development of museums from the past to the present, and outlined possible future models.
Dr Ahmad said future museums would likely be research-oriented and increasingly accessible through virtual platforms, allowing users to engage with exhibitions remotely.
He also stressed the need for environmentally conscious museum infrastructure and highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in museum operations and visitor engagement. According to him, AI tools are already being used in many museums today.
Need to strengthen regional museums
Museum expert Dr Shiv Kumar Mishra said museums are institutions designed with the future in mind and stressed the importance of making them more engaging and accessible to the public.
He also called for better development and maintenance of regional museums across Bihar.
Participation from students and academics
The programme concluded with an interactive session with the audience, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Bapu Tower deputy director Lalit Kumar Singh. The event was moderated by Arun Kumar Pathak, under secretary at Bapu Tower.
Academicians, teachers and professors from various colleges in Patna attended the event. Students from BD College, AN College, Arvind Mahila College and Magadh Mahila College were also present in large numbers, along with Bapu Tower officials and interns
