Staff Reporter Peshawar
Known as home to Gandhara Civilization, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed major turnaround of archeology and museum sectors after completion of record number of projects mainly conservation of world’s lone Gandhara-Art Peshawar Museum, construction of Hazara Museum at a cost of Rs60 million and preservation of British-era Mohabat Khan Mosque during last 3 years, making the province a centre of attraction for tourists to explore its archeological wonders.
Constructed some 150 years back on Sher Suri Road in front of Governor House, Peshawar Museum, the lone Museum of Gandhara-Art in world having about 30,000 rare antiques, artifacts, coins, swords, guns and others antiquities, has been conserved and renovated by KP Government to restore its original architecture and enhance its outlook.
The renovation work on this British era building has been necessitated after its exterior and interior structure was badly affected by earthquakes and harsh weather conditions
The two-storey building, an amalgamation of British and Mughal architectures, originally consisted of a main hall and two side aisles on ground and first floor, surmounted by four elegant cupolas and small pinnacle on all corners.
‘Conservation and renovation work on the two-storey building of Peshawar Museum has been completed and would be reopened for general public, domestic and foreign tourists shortly,’ said Noor Khan, Incharge Peshawar Museum while talking to APP.
He said Peshawar Museum was the largest, historic and lone Museum of Gandhara Art in the world where the complete life story of Founder of Buddhism, Lord Bhudda was preserved in the form of panels and statues, attracting Buddhists, monks and international tourists throughout the year.