With the advent of the wheel (2500-2000 BC) in the Indus Valley Civilization, for the first time man experienced being “driven” rather than walking. A small gesture but a giant leap in bringing communities together, a beginning for what we proudly proclaim the ‘shrinking world’!
The coming of the wheel brought communities in closer contact. In its use for transportation the wheel retained its eminence till the beginning of the 19th century. It became the base for the earliest cars, trams, trains and even in some form in planes. From the 20th century dramatic changes from carts and carriages to mechanical modes of transport have taken place.
India’s first comprehensive Transport Museum: Heritage Transport Museum recently hosted the presentation ceremony of Commemorative Postage Stamps on “Means of Transport through the Ages” on Saturday, 25 March, 2017. These stamps were presented by Kalpana Rajsinghot, Postmaster General, Gurgaon Region, Haryana Circle, Department of Posts.
Department of Posts, India has for the first time in its history, issued stamps on modes of transport. These stamps showcase the history of gradual progression in the modes of transportation in our country through 20 beautiful postage stamps in the form of miniature sheets in a prestige booklet issued for the first time and mixed stamp sheetlets.
The series of stamps include a set of four stamps each on palanquins, animal driven carriages and carts, rickshaws, vintage cars and a mixed set of four stamps on public transport depicting buses, tram and metro. The inspiration of these 20 stamps has come from the artwork and are facts displayed at the Heritage Transport Museum and over 15 stamps are directly adapted from the Museum’s collection.
Heritage Transport Museum firmly believes that a Museum’s role is to provide inspiration to all age groups and spark their creative instinct. The Museum hopes these stamps will act as a catalyst to reconnect people with India’s rich history, art, culture and heritage. These special projects reaffirm the Museum’s philosophy of providing an enjoyable and engaging visitor experience.
During 2016 the Museum won two prestigious awards — The National Tourism Award for being the most Innovative and Unique tourism project in the country and the 2016 Traveler’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor. We continue to challenge the belief that museums in India cannot be fun, inspiring and entertaining; Heritage Transport Museum has now become India’s most popular museum and a favorite destination for visitors.
The series of stamps include a set of four stamps each on palanquins, animal driven carriages and carts, rickshaws, vintage cars and a mixed set of four stamps on public transport depicting buses, tram and metro. The inspiration of these 20 stamps has come from the artwork and are facts displayed at the Heritage Transport Museum.
Heritage Transport Museum is an endeavor to showcase and interpret the multiple narratives of transport movement in India. The vision behind the museum is to share its rich and diverse collection with large number of people and give them a fun filled learning experience. The museum was conceptualized quite literary to transport people to a bygone era.
Opened to public on 7 December 2013 as India’s first comprehensive transport museum, the museum brings alive the history and evolution of transport heritage in India through a rich and diverse collection of vehicles and associated memorabilia. The collection is representative of not just the objects directly related to transport but also of the socio-cultural life and art associated with it.
The museum is home to more than 2,500 curated objects on display that weave a tale of India’s colorful transportation history. The large and varied collection of this museum has been categorized into various sections: pre-mechanized & heavy mechanized transportation, railways, aviation, maritime, collectible Indian toys on transport, rural & indigenous transportation, two wheelers and popular & tribal art section. The museum is also rich in contemporary art collection displayed at various sections throughout the museum.
Located at Taoru-Gurgaon, the museum is an hour’s drive from New Delhi. Built on a 3 acre complex, Heritage Transport Museum is spread over four air conditioned floors that offer over 100,000 square feet of exhibition space, a library and reference centre, a mini auditorium, a museum souvenir shop, seminar rooms and a refreshment area.
Heritage Transport Museum has been built and being run by Heritage Transportation Trust is a registered non-profit Trust, founded on 18 July, 2006 and registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. As the first private museum of its scale in India, it is conceived as a space that not only provides a glimpse into the history of travel in India, but also engages with visitors through its carefully designed information ecosystem. The museum sets a benchmark in interpretation, exhibition and in communication. The museum has been designed to be accessible to all and it pledges to treat all its visitors as special. Heritage Transport Museum is dedicated to provide visitors an enjoyable and engaging museum experience.