A new gallery to showcase and exhibit antiquities including paintings will be inaugurated at Wellington Lodge in the city.
The rather plain building is nearly 220 years old and Arthur Wellesley — who later came to be known as the Duke of Wellington — lived here from 1799 to 1801 when he was political in-charge of Mysuru after the fourth Anglo-Mysuru war. At present it houses the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalay (IGRMS) on the ground floor.
The first floor of the building was closed and out of bounds to public though the artifacts have been stored. The interiors and the ceiling were repaired at a cost of nearly ₹60 lakh and the restoration of the heritage structure has been completed. ‘’We intend to have a new gallery to showcase the rich collection with the Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage,” said Devaraju, Commissioner of the Department.
He said a section of the floor can be developed to cater to artists to showcase their artwork for public. The sprawling lawn will be utilised for public events like workshops, seminars or art events, Mr. Devaraj added.
