International Mountain Museum
The Himalaya is the greatest mountain system in the world. It
stretches 2400 km from east to west between Nanga Parbat and
Namcha Barwa peaks. Most find such an immense range of
mountains hard to envisage because the scale is beyond one's
experience.
Cradled among the mountains in the central Himalaya with
profusion of high peaks lies the kingdom of Nepal. Of the
fourteen peaks in the world that exceed 8,000 meters no fewer
than eight of them are in Nepal, including Mt. Everest the
highest in the world.
The mystery of the unknown, sheer beauty of majestic peaks and
above all, an urge to experience the challenge of climbing
world's highest mountains have attracted thousands of climbers
to the Himalayan slopes.
The first tentative steps towards Himalayan climbing were
taken in 1920's, and several expedition teams were able to
make important exploration and significant progress in
climbing Mt. Everest, Nanga Parbat, K2, and Kanchenjunga.
However, it was only after the opening of the Nepal Himalaya,
followed by the successful ascents of the first peak over
8000m - Annapurna I by Maurice Herzog and Luis Lachenal in
1950 and Mt. Everest in 1953 by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New
Zealander Edmund Hillary, the mountaineering activities in the
Himalaya started to gain wider popularity.
About International Mountain Museum
Land Area : 100 Ropanies
(5.10 Hectares, 12.58 Acres)
Land purchase by NMA on :
4th Aug 1985, costs Nrs.12000.00 per Ropani
Foundation Stone : Laid on
1st Nov. 1995 by the Honb’l Minister for
Tourism Mr. Chakra Prasad Bastola
Soft Opening : On 29th May
2002 by the famous climbers
Ms. Junko Tabei and Mr. Appa Sherpa, graced by
Honb’l Minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation
Mr. Bal Bahadur K.C.
Grand Opening : 05th Feb
2004 by the Rt. Honb’l Prime Minister
Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa
Plinth area of Building :
3110 Sq. Mt.
Total Display and facility area :
4250 Sq Mt
Total Cost :Approx. Nrs. 100 million has been invested for the
establishment of museum and its premises including land
purchase, Landscaping, Access roads, Compound walls and living
museum etc.
Definition of the Museum:
A museum is an institution which collects, documents,
preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and
associated information for the public benefit.
Why in Pokhara:
>> To help decentralization of development.
>> Pokhara is the second tourism destination of the country.
>> It is a gateway to mountains and world famous trekking
routes.
>> First eight thousander summited by French on Annapurna I.
Objectives:
>> Collection, documentation and display of the natural
history and culture of the Himalayas and the world mountains.
>> Record and document chronicles of mountain activities in
the Himalayas and other International mountain ranges.
>> Function as an educational and center for research on
anthropology, sociology, mountaineers, ecology for the
researchers, tourists, students and general public.
>> Provide a forum to share information among the
international mountain community.
About the galleries
The theme of this museum is to cover the information and
exhibits related with the Man, Mountain and Mountain
activities around the world. The whole display area of the
museum is based and divided on the above theme therefore the
galleries are as follows:
A. Mountain People Gallery: It introduces the customs,
tradition, heritage, culture and way of life of the world
mountain peoples. (See annex A)
B. Mountain Gallery: This gallery presents the geological
facts about the origin of world mountain system, the gallery
displays and gives explanations on the subjects like geology,
glaciology, rivers originated from the mountain or glacial
fade rivers, mineral deposits and flora fauna etc.
C. Mountain Activities Gallery: It comprises the historical
ascents and explorations in and around mountain areas, skiing,
hunting, trekking and kayaking etc. And it also displays the
development of the climbing gears and required equipments for
mountaineering, climbing and other mountain activities.
D. Associates' Gallery: The presentation of various activities
carried out by different Ingo's and NGO's in and around
mountain areas e.g.:- KMTNC, IUCN, ICIMOD, WWF are displayed
and explained in this gallery.
Research Center:
The museum supposed to act as a research center, it already
started to collect, document and exhibit of the artifacts,
books, journals and audio/video research works covering the
areas of man, mountain and mountain activities.
More.... |
