{{Short description|Museum in India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox museum | name = Shri Pratap Singh Museum | native_name = | native_name_lang = | logo = | image = File:Sri Pratap Singh Museum Bowels 4th Century AD.jpg | caption = Exhibit in the Sri Pratap Singh Museum | alt = | map_type = | map_caption = | former_name = | established = 1898 | dissolved = | location = Wazir Bagh Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India | coordinates = {{coord|34.06678|74.81312|type:landmark|display=title, inline}} | type = Archaeological and historical | collection_size = | visitors = | director = | president = | curator = | public_transit = | parking = | website = | network = | image_size = | map_alt = }}
The '''Shri Pratap Singh Museum''', commonly known as the '''SPS Museum''', is a museum in Wazir Bagh Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Established in 1898, the museum houses a collection of over 80,000 objects from various regions in Northern India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/shri-pratap-singh-kashmirs-lone-museum-opens-new-building-for-public-in-srinagar-3541683.html|title=Shri Pratap Singh, Kashmir's lone museum, opens new building for public in Srinagar - Firstpost|website=www.firstpost.com|date=11 June 2017 |access-date=2018-11-16}}</ref>
== Description == === History === In 1889, a proposal for the foundation of an archaeology museum in the city of Srinagar was formulated by Amar Singh and S.H. Godmerry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://museu.ms/museum/details/18163/sps-museum-srinagar|title=SPS Museum Srinagar|website=museu.ms|language=en|access-date=2018-11-16}}</ref> Singh was an officer in the British Indian Army, while Godmerry was a scholar.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://jktourism.org/sps-museum.html|title=Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir - SPS Museum|website=jktourism.org|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-11-16}}</ref> The pair produced and submitted a memorandum to Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, the ruler of Sringar and Amar's older brother.<ref name=":1" /> The Majarah accepted the proposal and agreed to allow for the establishment of a museum; this new institution would house artifacts from Jammu, Kashmir, Baltistan and Gilgit.<ref name=":1" /> The museum was to be located inside a state-owned building near the Jhelum river.<ref name=":0" />
The establishment of the museum was overseen by John Marshal, a British archaeologist (and future director of the Archaeological Survey of India) who was renowned for his work in preserving the archaeological history of India.<ref name=":1" /> Srinagar's Accountant General, one Mr. Blerjee, was appointed as the first president of the museum; Blerjee was also tasked with recording a large collection of coins the museum added to its collection.<ref name=":1" /> The museum opened to the public in 1898, with its first collection consisting of items from Majarah Pratap's palace treasury.<ref name=":1" />
Following the re-organizational efforts of Indian archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni in 1913, the museum received objects recovered from archaeological excavations in Panderenthan, Parihaspora and Avantipura.<ref name=":1" /> The collection of the museum continued to grow through the donation of items by private collectors; many of these items were domestic or household in nature.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">''Valley’s lone museum opens to public''. The Tribune. 12 Jun 2017. URL. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/valley-s-lone-museum-opens-to-public/420829.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026130431/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/valley-s-lone-museum-opens-to-public/420829.html |date=26 October 2019 }} Retrieved 2018-11-16.</ref>
In 2017, the museum finished constructing a second building.<ref name=":2" /> The new building was built to be fire and earthquake resistant, and is used to house some of the SPS's more popular exhibits. The older 19th-century building remains in use.<ref name=":2" />
==See also== *Shashvat Art Gallery Jammu *Dogra Art Museum, Jammu *National Museum of India
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.facebook.com/Spsmuseumsrinagar SPS Museum Facebook page] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130806143254/http://www.spsmuseum.org/ Archived webpage of SPS Museum]
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Category:Buildings and structures in Srinagar Category:Archaeological museums in India Category:History of Srinagar Category:Museums in Jammu and Kashmir