A Natural History Museum is planned to be established in the premises of Safari Zoo, Lahore. Museum is a place dedicated to the muses and therefore, suitable for learned discussion and study. The museums have a double role: To exhibit the objects and to provide a working collection for scholars. The Museums are also used to educate the people. A Museum is a “Classifying House” for various kinds of objects, displayed to highlight their form and differences.Through public programmes, the visitors and participants are involved in a rewarding learning experience focusing on the Museum’s collections, research programmes and the bodies of knowledge that they represent.
The objects acquired and preserved by the Museum are a permanent record of human endeavors and the natural world. The record of the past that we maintain is of vital interest today, and would become even more important as become even more important as change in nature and society accelerates.
A Natural History Museum highlights the inter-relationships between individuals, populations, species, and their environments. On the whole spectrum of inter-relations that have woven the pattern of evolution and produced the multitude of plant and animal forms.
The need for a Natural History Museum in Lahore, the capital city of Punjab has been felt for a long time. Zoological specimens have been preserved in the form of skeletons or stuffed animals. Museum of Zoology Departments especially those of Zoological Departments of Government College, Lahore and University of the Punjab, Lahore have no reference to their ecology. The habitat and the environment have totally been neglected. A visitor to such collections can appreciate only the morphological or anatomical finesse of these creatures, but the life processes and the surroundings in which the animal lives remain obscure from the visitors. True appreciation and understanding of Natural History cannot be made unless the wild animals, and plants are displayed in their natural habitats.
The display in the Natural History Museum would be helpful in arousing love for animals and passion for their conservation. Besides the exhibits, the Natural History Museum would cater for the collection and exhibition of flora, and fossil history of Pakistan.
A Major function of the Natural History Museum is the education to make the general public aware of the importance of natural history. Information would be provided for the general public and for those who seek knowledge. Students would be the main target group. Lectures, talk shows and audio-visual arrangements would be made to achieve this object.
A Museum is also a place of research. Research would be conducted into the natural history of plants, animals and fossils. Specimens of all living forms would be collected, identified, categorized and preserved. This would be a continuous activity of the Museum. The competent authority has therefore advised to proceed for PC-II scheme and on the basis of feasibility study, the project would be considered accordingly. Hence, a PC-II scheme has been included in the proposed ADP 2021-22.
TOTAL COST
Rs.17.000 million
GESTATION PERIOD
01.07.2021 to 30.06.2022 (12-months)
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
The Natural History Museum would be established inside the existing Safari Zoo located at 13-KM from Thokar Niaz Baig, Raiwind Road, Lahore.
SCOPE OF PROJECT
- Feasibility Study
- Master Plan
- Strategic Business Plan
- PC-I Scheme with detailed Costing, Designs / Plans.