Vision & Misssion
[About Us - Vision & Mission - Location Map]

Executive Summary

The National Museum of Natural History(NMNH) was established as one of the national level institutions set up during the Silver Jubilee celebrations of India's Independence, to portray and promote awareness on the Natural Heritage of the country.

The National Museum of Natural History, an institution devoted to environmental education, derives its strength principally from theme-based exhibition galleries, experiential resource centers such as Discovery Room, Activity Room,and educational and out-reach activities, with the intention to depict the country's rich natural heritage and natural history(geology,botany and zoology).

The objectives of the National Museum of Natural History are:

• To develop the NMNH in the country's Capital to achieve the highest level of quality to promote environmental education on a national level.
• To develop Regional offices(regional museum of natural history)in various regions of the count-
  ry in order to extend its activities at the regional/local levels.
• To develop museum-based educational projects at the level so as to help school curriculum on environmental education(EE).
• To develop EE resource materials(such as audio-visual aids,low-cost teaching aids,school loan kits,etc.) to promote environmental education(EE).
• To undertake research(museological and collection based) consonant with the scope and resou-
  rces of the museum.
• To extend professional help to other agencies/organizations regarding natural history collections
  /museums.
• To develop national and international cooperation/collaboration with other organizations/profess-
  ional bodies/museums related to natural history/EE.

Milestones

(a) So far:

1. Established and successfully operationalised the NMNH in the Capital city of the country with
   effect from 1978.
2. Organized a variety of educational and extension services to supplement formal education
   system and bring environmental awareness among the masses.
3. Publication of popular literature on environmental and conservation issues.
4. Organized several in-house and outdoor exhibitions and expositions on Nature and Environ-
   ment to reach out to a wider audience.
5. Organized/participated in the 'Festivals of India' abroad held at USA, USSR, Japan and Nepal
   on behalf of the Ministry of Environment & Forests.
6. Established and operationalised three Regional offices (Regional Museums of Natural History)
   at Mysore(Southern Region) in May 1995 ,Bhopal(Central Region) in September 1997,and Bhubaneswar(Eastern Region) in August 2004.A fourth Regional Office has been established
   in Sawai Madhopur (Western Region) in Decenber 2007 and is expected to be operationalised
   soon. A fifth Regional Office is being planned at Gangtok(North-Eastern Region).

(b) For Future:

1. To establish the state-of-the-art National Museum of Natural History on its own land and in a suitably designed building.
2. To establish a networking of Natural Museums and biological collections in India with the ava-
   ilable resources of NMNH and its Regional Offices linking with State-level organizations.
3. To organize academic seminars/confrences/workshops in professional aspects of Museology related to Natural History Museums.
4. To undertake National Status Surveys on Natural History Museums in India at periodic inter-
   vals.
5. To extend professional help to other indian museums/organizations with natural history sec-
   tions/collections.
6. To establish National Resource Center on EE with films,videos, CDRoms,audio recordings
   (animal and bird calls)etc.on various topics on Natural Haritage.
7. To establish a Natural History Museology Training Center to train staff working in Natural
   Hisotry Museums,and build their capacity not only in India,but also in countries of SAARC.
8. To establish National Centers on a few thrust areas in which the NMNH and its Regional Of-
   fices have already excelled:Museum visitor Studies,Museum Access Studies,Intangible Nat-
   ural Haritage etc.
9. To undertake professional development on an international level by collaborating with var-
   ious committees of ICOM(International Council of Museums).

Vision Statement

(a) Short term

The National Museum of Natural History will be revitalized in its existing rented premises by way of revamping its public areas and facilities in more innovative ways.A strong networking of NMNH and
its Regional offices will be developed in order to extend the activities of the NMNH at the regional
and state level.

(b) Long term

The NMNH would be established in its own premises as a self sustainable state-of-art facilityalongwith
its fully established regional offices.It will be an institution recognized nationally and internationally in
the field of Environmental Education and professional Natural History Museology.As a public service institution, the resources of the Museum would be made available and accessible to all visitors.