Museums of the World Museum Theatre in Chennai

The exposed red brick edifice, namely the Museum Theatre in Chennai, is one of Egmore, India’s most stunning and enriched museums. The Museum Theatre in Chennai was established in 1851 and is elegantly situated amidst lush greenery surrounded by many other buildings. The Museum theatre in Chennai, predominantly visible from pantheon Road, is known for its history of culture and Ancient collections. It is a magnificent museum built as a legacy to restore the richness of archaeological and numismatic collections. 

The Museum Theatre in Chennai is the second largest after the Indian Museum in Kolkata. It was constructed by the British as a replica of London’s Globe Theatre. It was a rare example of the Italianate style or Indo-Saracenic mode of architecture and, thus, an impressive building of the 19th century which was built for the entertainment of the people of England. During British rule, I designed the space to have performances on a large stage to entertain the people seeking a luxurious way of living and rejoicing in big screen events with enormous numbers of other people. 

Art 

The Museum Theatre in Chennai has many design elements and charm; showcasing elaborated design features such as stained-glass windows, ornate woodwork, and stucco paintings.  

Such a building helps one understand how to play with the materials and transform a basic design to make it more exotic by beautifying it by adding more detail and carving. The interiors of the building has been designed into levels. The crescent-shaped structure with a high plinth led with the elegant granite steps to enter is a key design feature that gives a grandeur look to the building.  The use of a curved verandah, a long corridor, aisle with porticos on either side stands out the interior look, with a majestic staircase with broad steps to commute from one floor to another, adding up the beauty of the building and its interiors.  The Museum Theatre in Chennai has its significant elements within the space, the hemispherical embellished arches supported by ornate pillars and with sculpted acanthus leaves and a marbled floor are a few of the main design elements that made this building artistic in all respects. The façade of its primarily semi-circular building, with exposed red bricks and plastered lime mortar for internal walls, is unique and looks calm and serene to the visitors. Thus, the use of materials in the museum is used quite wisely, it is a skill to use the right material at a right place. The museum theatre in chennai is no doubt is an amalgam of warm color and use of textures and tactility and create combination to visual interest and dept in hearts.

Architecture 

The main beauty of the Museum Theatre in Chennai is in its big dome which is designed  without any wooden rafters, yet it has been developed with perfection and symmetry. 

The acoustics of the museum have exclusive acoustic techniques, sound, and echoes with zero reverberation in the surroundings. The space is so well planned and designed concerning its acoustics that; It has been experienced by the people sitting in the last row who can hear the sound with the minimum elimination of negligence and without the use of any amplifiers.    

In the early days of British times, there was the frequent use of the venue for performances by England, and it was known for its British Elite society and thus was planned to accommodate a massive number of visitors to appreciate the art, culture, and performances. In addition to this, one of the most remarking feelings to be in the space is to visualise and experience the splendorous multi-tiered seating arrangement for a capacity of more than 550 seats in a curved, with the glamorous hanging chandeliers and red curtain in a front manner with gives a feeling of being in a glorious Roman Amphitheatre.

A moment to appreciate

The Museum Theatre in Chennai is worth visiting for people who want to understand the acoustic, light, and better understanding of one-point perspective! The key to excelling in any task is to continue ongoing learning. Learning from art and architecture is a complete process of experimenting, so it is always worth learning by visiting the actual place and understanding it from one’s experience. Thus, it is crucial to visit the place to understand any space and its design better.

As history repeats and it is evitable to see how people from the past used projections, bundles of lights, and use of stages to organize any event nowadays. Creating big scenography stage designs is now an outgoing trend for the 21st century. The Museum Theatre in Chennai is a perfect example of learning the basics of amphitheater planning concerning all other design features and key elements. It would be a great place to visit better to understand its sound, light, and spatial planning. Because, in the end, our five senses help one grow in the world of consciousness, so let’s explore and live every moment!

References:

Caro. (2022). Glossary Egmore museum mapacademy 

Government Museum, (2023). Department of Museum. Chennai Museum 

URL. Available at: https://museum.dealstvm.com/chennai-museum  [Accessed: 18 February 2023]

Government Museum, (2023). Department of Museum. Chennai Museum 

Archive vol.XX NO. 3, MAY 16-31,2010 museum 

URL. Available at: https://madrasmusings.com/Vol%2020%20No%203/museum-library-and-theatre.html [Accessed: 18 February 2023]

Image1,Museum Theatre, Chennai [Photograph] ©https://www.flickr.com/photos/neokratz/5360804730/in/photostream/

Image2,,Museum Theatre, Chennai [Photograph] https://www.flickr.com/photos/neokratz/5360204447/in/photostream/

Image3,Museum Theatre, Chennai [Photograph] 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/neokratz/5360812700/in/photostream/