INDIA’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE SILK MUSEUM

NEWS – The heritage city of Mysuru, already renowned for its royal legacy, craftsmanship and silk tradition, is set to host India’s first comprehensive Silk Museum. The initiative aims to showcase the entire spectrum of India’s silk heritage — from cultivation to couture.

SILK MUSEUM

Project Overview

• Proposed by the Central Silk Board (CSB).
• To be established on three acres within the 125-acre CSRTI campus, Mysuru.
• Estimated cost: ₹20 crore.
• In-principle approval granted by the Union Ministry of Textiles.

Funding and Timeline

• Detailed Project Report (DPR) to be prepared through a tendered agency.
• Partial funding (up to ₹5 crore) expected from the Union Ministry of Culture under the “Silk Scheme”.
• Remaining funds to be sourced from various Textile Ministry schemes.
• Expected completion timeline: Two years post fund allocation.

WHAT THE MUSEUM WILL SHOWCASE

Comprehensive Coverage

The museum will be the first of its scale in India, modelled on international examples in China and Vietnam.

It will feature:

• Types of Silk: Mulberry, Tussar, Muga, and Eri.
• Traditional Silk Products:
  • Mulberry: Mysore Silk, Kanjeevaram, Banarasi, Baluchari, Gadwal
  • Muga: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh
  • Eri: Northeast India, Gujarat, Odisha
  • Tussar varieties: Tropical (Jharkhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, WB) & Temperate/Oak (Manipur, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh)
• Exhibits covering “soil to sartorial” journey—mulberry cultivation to weaving.

Experiential Zones

• ‘Centre of Excellence’ for advanced silk technology training.
• Seri-tourism Zone demonstrating “soil to silk” processes:
  • Mulberry cultivation
  • Silkworm rearing
  • Cocoon reeling
  • Weaving and finished silk products