The Ministry of Culture provided detailed expenditure information on museums and memorials dedicated to the Indian freedom movement in response to a Lok Sabha query. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat disclosed that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) undertakes maintenance and upgradation of freedom movement museums while organizing outreach programs on important occasions like Independence Day, Republic Day, World Heritage Day and Week, and International Museum Day in association with local schools and educational institutions.
Archaeological Survey of India Museums
The ASI manages several museums with significant expenditures: St. Fort George Museum in Chennai (established 1948) spent ₹19.099 lakh (2021-22), ₹61.899 lakh (2022-23), ₹30.00 lakh (2023-24), ₹30.35 lakh (2024-25), and ₹35.049 lakh (2025-26). The 1857 Memorial Museum in Lucknow (established 1970) spent ₹78.353 lakh (2021-22), ₹98.428 lakh (2022-23), ₹109.095 lakh (2023-24), ₹123.073 lakh (2024-25), and ₹28.169 lakh (2025-26). Delhi-based museums including '1857 – India's first war of Independence', 'Yaad-e-Jallian', 'Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and INA', and 'Azaadi-ke-Diwane' collectively spent ₹225.42 lakh (2021-22), ₹247.94 lakh (2022-23), ₹279.67 lakh (2023-24), ₹170.10 lakh (2024-25), and ₹528.96 lakh (2025-26). The Museum on Mahatma Gandhi at Aga Khan Palace, Pune (established 2019) is maintained by the Gandhi Memorial Society.
National Council of Science Museums Initiatives
The NCSM developed several digital exhibitions: 'Uniting India: Sardar Patel' permanent exhibition in Delhi (established 2016) spent ₹17.03 lakh (2021-22), ₹20.14 lakh (2022-23), and ₹2.95 lakh (2023-24). 'Gandhipedia' - an AI-enabled digital repository on Mahatma Gandhi developed in collaboration with IIT Kharagpur & IIT Gandhinagar spent ₹16.57 lakh (2021-22), ₹3.63 lakh (2022-23), ₹5.13 lakh (2023-24), and ₹45.00 lakh (2024-25). The digital exhibition 'The Father of the Nation: A digital tribute' was organized at 14 NCSM units across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Haryana from November 2020 to January 2021, spending ₹904.01 lakh in 2021-22.
Victoria Memorial Hall Projects
The Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata established the Biplobi Bharat Gallery in 2022 at a cost of ₹268.00 lakh to celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and Shaheed Diwas, focusing on revolutionary nationalists. In 2024, they established the Great Indian Reformers Gallery displaying paintings of Raja Rammohun Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Swami Vivekananda, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Rabindranath Tagore.
Allahabad Museum Development
The Allahabad Museum in Prayagraj established the Azad Gallery in 2023 dedicated exclusively to the Indian freedom movement, spending ₹4.684 lakh (2022-23), ₹1.977 lakh (2023-24), ₹9.273 lakh (2024-25), and ₹1.055 lakh (2025-26).
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Commemoration
Several projects commemorated the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Department of Art & Culture, Govt. of Manipur received ₹909.14 lakh of ₹1,383.29 lakh approved for developing INA Marty's War Memorial Complex at Moirang. Young India, Konarak, Puri, Odisha received ₹440.97 lakh of ₹587.96 lakh approved for construction of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cultural and Community Media Centre. The Department of Art & Culture, Govt. of Nagaland received ₹750.00 lakh of ₹1,000.00 lakh for construction of Memorial Park in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and INA at Ruzazho Village, Phek District. Another Nagaland project received ₹400.00 lakh of ₹800.00 lakh for Netaji Subhas Bose Auditorium at Tizu Island compound, Akhahu, Zunheboto. A fifth project in Nagaland received ₹800.00 lakh of ₹830.00 lakh for Netaji Subhas Memorial Hall Indoor Stadium at Kigwema, Kohima District.