The National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum (NHHM) commonly known as National Crafts Museum in New Delhi is one of the largest crafts museums in India.
It is run by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The museum is situated on the corner of the Pragati Maidan, facing the Purana Qila complex.
Various galleries within the museum include the Tribal and Rural Craft Gallery, Gallery of Courtly Crafts, Textile Gallery, Gallery of Popular Culture etc.[ Some of its prized collection include, the 250-300-year-old, Bhoota Collection from Karnataka, rare Kashmiri 300-year-old ‘dushalas’, handkerchiefs from Chamba, known for their unique embroidery, rare brocade and Baluchari saris, Kutch embroidery, precious metal jewellery and much more.
The museum is popular for an exhaustive collection of textiles.The museum also houses a village complex spread over 5-acre, with 15 structures representing village dwellings, courtyards and shrines from different states of India, with items of day-to-day life displayed. The entire village complex is a remnant of a temporary exhibition on the theme of rural India, held in 1972. Today several traditional craftsmen in residence at the museum, can be seen working in a designated area within the museum complex, who also sell the crafts they create.
Students of Class 3 to 5 (PRIMUS) visited NHHM on 2.11.17 as part of their Social Studies curriculum. The visit was all the more relevant as it coincided with the ongoing lesson Beautiful Homes in class 3.
Students learnt how houses are decorated in various parts of rural India. They also learnt how to make best out of waste using drift wood, dry grass, paper, bamboo and fallen leaves etc.
