National museum
Museum is derived from the word of "Muse" in Greek and Latin, indicating one of the nine fairies inspiring of learning and art. The word of museum was referred to common antiques in 17, 18 and 19 centuries then it came to be used for modern meaningful since then. Museum, nowadays is a building in which arts and sciences, especially cultural heritages are displayed systematically and preserved in a scientific manner. Thus, museum is the centre for education, traditional arts and handicraft, public, the connecting bridge as well as exhibiting the image of a country.
There are many number of museums in Myanmar, National Museum, Agricultural Museum, Defence-Service Museum, Natural Historical Museum, Anthropological Museum and so on. Among the, National Museum is the most remarkable for having a vast amount of collections from the primitive period to now, covering the very first step of motherland and her various ethnic groups. On 1st June 1957, National Museum was first set at Jubilee-Hall on Shwe-Da-Gon pagoda Road then moved to Grandly Bank building on Pan-So-Dan street on 8th February 1970. By the passing of the time, the collections were increased thus a spacious place was needed to display them. On 16th September 1990, a construction work for new museum was laid down and opened it on 23rd June 1996. It is a five-storey building and real-grand costing an amount of 365, 591 million kyats. Now, the new National Museum is located at 66-70 on Pyay Road in Dagon township of Yangon. It has a measurement of 380 feel long and 200 feet breadth on a spacious land. On the ground floor, the alphas and letters from various period arc serially displayed, the votive tables, palm-leaf manuscripts and the letters of well-known person with their own hand-writting, which will give you an experience about paleographic evolution of Myanmar Alpha and literature in concrete evidences. The major exhibition on the ground floor is the lion throne. There were 9 thrones in Konbaung dynasty, including of 2 lion-thrones. Because of having 108 lion-figures and a larger one in the niches of the base, it is called lion-throne and made of clog-wood. During the olden days, the various thrones were functionally used and the lion throne was the most important as it was the symbol of authority and crown of the state. The British Government took it away to Calcutta in India as the sign of triumph and returned to Myanmar Government after independence, on 4th January 1948, the date in which the struggle for freedom of Myanmar patriotic was successfully completed and the authority of British Government in Myanmar was ended completely. The other thrones were burnt down during Second World War, and all the thrones were made in 1812-16 A.D. Another interesting showroom on the ground floor is that Yatanabon exhibition. The miniature of Mya-Nan-San-Kyaw palace in Mandalay is modelled in gild and beautiful decoration. More than that, the couch of the Rev. Sayadaw worshipped and venerated by king Thibaw, the couches of king Thibaw and Chief-Queen Supayalatt, the ivory-chair of king Thibaw are displayed in separated glass chambers. The chief exhibit on the ground floor at the National Museum, under the Union of Culture Ministry, is now located on Pyay road and it displayed by acquiring various thrones from Mandalay regalias, in showcases and shelves arranged in a proper type.
The showrooms for prehistory and post-history periods are set on the first floor. In the pre history showroom, there is a model of Pya-da-lin cave, belonged to some 11,000 years ago and neolothic culture with remarkable tools of hand adzes, beads, choppers and mural paintings, come to the view first. In the post history displayment, the striking patterns of silver blossom lotus, silver reliquary in the shape of Bo tree, silver coins are displayed which suggested that the art of making gold and silver smith was highly flourished in Pyu period from 4-5 to 8 century A.D. Beside, a numerous collection of bronze and stone images of 11th to 13th centuries during Bagan period are displayed in proper order which was a significant period in Myanmar that nourished between the mid 11th century up to the late 13th century. The highlights of this show room are the royal regalias and other priceless treasures of Myanmar monarchs. They reflect the great and grandeur of Myanmar monarchies. The royal regalias such as the golden-shoe, the staff, the double edged sword, the Yak-tail fan, the sea monster pitcher, the pot, the chin-rest, the vases, the lotus armrest, the lion betel-cup, the food bowl, the small betel receptacle, the relic casket, the oblong basket are something to draw your attention and to give a real pleasure. The exhibitions on the second floor are Myanmar traditional folk arts and crafts, musical instruments. Among the musical instruments, a full-set of traditional ensemble in beautiful glass mosaic and the musical instrument in the form of crocodile, that the auspicious musical instrument of Mon people, are worthwhile to see. The tradition and modern orchestra can be comparatively witnessed. The photographs of well-known Myanmar theatre artists of bygone period, the complicate attire of Zat artists as well as the mask to portray the characters of Ramayana and Dasagiri can be viewed. It also puts on display the Myanmar Marionette stage and the various musical instruments of the national races.
On third floor, it accommodates a variety painting from the prehistory to the modern period. Among them, the replica of Padalin cave and its' mural paintings; the rising sun, the bull-family which belongs to 1.1,000 years ago and is situated in Shan-state, with other replicas of mural paintings, the masterpiece and genuine paintings of water-colour, oil-colour drawn by renowned artists in the first half of 20 century, are shown. They are U Ba Zaw, U Chit Mye, Saya Saung, U San Win. U Ngwe Gaing, U Ba Kyi, U Min Naing and others. U Ba Nyan who introduced the technique of Western drawing and set painting school of Western and modern technique and system, the first. His work done in 1920s are also displayed. The fourth floor exhibits cultural items and traditional arts and handicrafts of different national races. The main object of this show room is to consolidate the national solidarity and preserve the various cultures of indigenous races living in the motherland. The cultural heritages, artifacts of the ethnic groups as well as the musical instruments, antiques, tools, farming implement, conventional weapons and traditional costumes of the national races are beautifully displayed.
One hundred and seventy-six antique images in various styles and mudras of Pyu, Bagan, Pin-ya, Innwa, Hanthawaddy, Nyaung-yan and Konbaung periods are displayed on the top and fifth floor. The common characteristics of images and periods can be comparatively studied and the evolution of shape, style, mudra, meaning, belief and custom, may be reflected in architectural formations and the art of sculpture in their details as well as significant composition.
Summing up, the National Museum is a significant landmark to the cultural evolution and in the history of our state and its' people. It is the place where the cultural heritages of the entire Myanmar people is well preserved. So the enthusiastic person could get about the informations of Myanmar in brief with concrete evidences and could be enjoyed the grand cultural heritages on the spot.
Book Title : Aspects of Myanmar Culture Presented By : Tim Mg Oo (B.A. English) Licensed Tour Guide