The Humayun Museum, a unique addition to the urban landscape of Delhi, draws inspiration from traditional Indian baoli architecture. "We didn't want to disturb the view corridor between monuments," Ratish Nanda, architect and Projects Director of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, said while explaining the reason behind this decision. "On one side of the museum is Sabz Burj, on the other side is Sundar Burj, and on the third side is Isa Khan's tomb, which is a significant national monument. As a 21st-century addition, the museum doesn't need to be seen; it needs to be experienced," he elaborated.

　　The Humayun Museum, which opened to the public recently, is ensconced 6 metres below the ground. It houses galleries that rise four feet above the ground and is crowned by a roof reminiscent of a Mughal garden. While the Humayun's Tomb and Sunder Nursery previously remained segregated, they can now be accessed through the museum.

　　The museum's interior offers a journey through seven centuries of Nizamuddin's rich heritage, blending digital experiences, gardens, and galleries, illuminating a pivotal period in India's history. This underground space features a 100-seat auditorium, temporary galleries, cafés, meeting rooms and a library. A highlight is an immersive gallery with a 270-degree screen for virtual tours of the World Heritage Site's monuments and gardens, alongside an animated feature on the 500-year evolution of Humayun's Tomb. The museum also showcases over 700 artefacts, including Mughal miniatures, manuscripts, coins, astrolabes, celestial spheres, stone inscriptions, glassware, and textiles.

　　More Than Meets The Eye

　　Beyond showcasing artefacts and antiquities, the museum serves a deeper purpose. "The museum tells stories that are generally not known through objects that are generally not displayed," Nanda explained. He believes that people neither understand Delhi nor Humayun at all. Challenging the common perception of Humayun as an insignificant emperor who tumbled in and out of life, the museum highlights his role in establishing the Mughal empire, his architectural contributions, and his extensive travels—three times more than Marco Polo. The routes Humayun took are meticulously mapped out within the museum. The displayed objects are borrowed from the Archaeological Survey of India and the National Museum. At the same time, historian Ebba Koch's book, "The Planetary King: Humayun Padshah, Inventor and Visionary on the Mughal Throne," serves as the "museum book."

　　Meanwhile, Historian and numismatics expert Shah Umair, also known as "Sikkawala" in Delhi, remarked that he had never visited a museum as immersive as the Humayun Museum. "Most museums are immersive with holography, audio-visual routines, and detailed displays, but they lack genuine antiquities," he noted. Umair praised the Humayun Museum for balancing immersive elements with authentic artefacts, including utensils, swords, books, farmaan, and other items that resonate with a historian's informed sensibilities.

　　Museum's Dilemma

　　Though Umair is all praise for the museum, he also expressed disappointment with its exclusive use of English and Hindi for its descriptions and labels, completely omitting Urdu. This is particularly problematic given the museum's location in Nizamuddin, which attracts a diverse visitor base, including many from far flung countries.

　　"Most people who come to Nizamuddin are not just Indian nationals but people from Afghanistan and other such countries," he said. Further emphasising the significance of Urdu in the area, he explained, "If you go to Nizamuddin basti, there is Urdu script that's used in the billboards and road signs. Not to forget, it's a language of Delhi, our culture." This oversight is a missed opportunity to cater to a broader audience and acknowledge the rich linguistic heritage of the region.

　　Balancing Aesthetics And Accuracy

　　Moreover, visitors must keep their eyes open while observing the artefacts in the museum. A farmaan, reproduced from Humayun's autobiography and presented as a scroll, might appear to be an authentic replication. However, it is displayed as a scroll not just for historical accuracy but because it "aligns well with the aesthetics of the museum," according to Nidhi Purohit, the Outreach Programme Officer of Sunder Nursery, who played a vital role in the museum's curation.

　　Meanwhile, Akash Bhardwaj, a PhD scholar in museology, revealed that some recent projects "lack academic dedication and proper labelling." While reproduction and recreation are not inherently negative, the focus is on "initiating discourse rather than accurate historical reconstructions." He also noted that sometimes the goal behind infrastructure projects is "urban revitalisation that generates significant revenue."

　　Addressing misleading labelling, Umair highlighted the need for clearer labels on the museum's coins to avoid confusion. Drawing from his expertise in numismatics, he explained that "during the later Mughal period, many coins were minted by provincial states in the emperor's name as a token of respect." He pointed out that the museum displays a coin minted under Akbar Shah II by the then-autonomous Bharatpur state. "In numismatics, this is not considered a Mughal coin," he clarified, "but a provincial coin, a feudatory coin minted by Suraj Mal in the name of Akbar Shah II."

　　A New Chapter

　　As an addition to the urban landscape of Delhi, the museum also has much potential as a contributor and disseminator of heritage and knowledge in Delhi. A simple yet thoughtful prediction by Umair is that the museum stands next to Humayun's Tomb, one of the three major landmarks, namely, Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb, that dominate the itineraries of every tourist's Delhi darshan. For now, the museum breathes life into the forgotten emperor, resurrecting Humayun from the dust of time and placing him again in the heart of Delhi's vibrant narrative.

　　The Information

　　Address: H6VX+8G Humayun's Tomb, Nizamuddin, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Delhi 110013

　　Entry Fees: INR 50 for Indian nationals and INR 300 for foreign nationals

　　Timings: 11 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays)