Every year on May 18, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) observes International Museum Day. This year, the theme is "Museums for Education and Research," emphasizing the crucial role museums play in preserving history and facilitating learning.

Museums offer a unique window into the past, providing visitors with an opportunity to explore the little-known or forgotten stories of people, places, and civilizations. They serve as invaluable sources of education and research, taking visitors on an imaginative journey through time.

In Visakhapatnam, also known historically as Vizagapatam, museums hold a treasure trove of artifacts that narrate the city's rich cultural heritage. For instance, exquisitely carved ivory furniture made in Vizagapatam has found a place in the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

Additionally, brass 'toy soldiers' from the early 1800s, engraved ivory boxes, and tea caddies made in Visakhapatnam are preserved in British museums, according to history enthusiast John Castellas, whose ancestors lived in Visakhapatnam for five generations.

The Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum (TFFM) at Lambasingi in Chintapalli mandal, approximately 120 km from Visakhapatnam city, aims to take visitors back in time. Curator P. Sankara Rao explains that the museum will display artifacts, crude weapons, and other materials used by tribal revolutionaries in their fight against British colonial rule.

This ₹35 crore project, a collaboration between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, is expected to be completed by November this year, pending delays due to the election code of conduct.

The Visakha Museum on Beach Road houses an impressive collection of pre-historic and early historic artifacts, stone and bronze sculptures, and paintings. Its Archaeology Museum showcases these treasures, while the Heritage Museum offers portraits of Maharajahs, arms and armories, lifelike mannequins, and displays depicting Visakhapatnam's growth and prominent personalities. Adjacent to it, the Naval Maritime Museum exhibits models of naval ships, guns, and the glass dome of the Pakistan Naval Ship (PNS) Ghazi.

To enhance security, CCTV cameras have been installed at the Visakha Museum, inaugurated recently by District Collector A. Mallikarjuna, in the presence of GVMC Commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma and GVMC Additional Commissioner K.S. Viswanathan, according to Assistant Director (Archaeology) Phalguna Rao.

These museums not only preserve the past but also educate and inspire future generations, making Visakhapatnam a city rich in historical and cultural significance.

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