Moon rocks, Mt Everest and virtual Gandhi: India opens President’s House as newest museum
• It is one of the grandest buildings in India, built by the British as the Viceroy’s House
• The museum recreates moments from the country’s independence struggle such as Mahatma Gandhi’s landmark protest march against the salt tax in 1930
With a moon rock, a chunk of Mount Everest and the chance to stroll with Gandhi, the President’s House in Delhi is lifting the veil on its treasures in its new museum.
The President’s House, a classical palace with an Indian twist, is one of the grandest buildings in India, built by the British as the Viceroy’s House.
Storerooms not opened for decades – some because of superstition – were unlocked in a treasure hunt to put together the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum’s collection.
It recreates moments from India’s independence struggle such as Mahatma Gandhi’s landmark protest march against the salt tax in 1930 and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre of civilians by troops under British command.
Technology allows visitors to walk with Gandhi in the virtual reality room, while interactive features include a flipbook of India’s constitution.