History lovers and local activists have expressed concern over the poor condition of the 116-year-old Government Museum in Pudukottai and have urged the authorities to escalate the conservation of over 3,000 artefacts on display here.

Established in Thirugokarnam by the erstwhile Thondaiman rulers of the Pudukottai samasthanam in 1919, the museum was handed over to the government in 1948 after the princely State entered the union. It underwent a major facelift in 2013 to mark the centenary celebrations of the Pudukottai State.

Special galleries for metalware and an auditorium were among the facilities added to the museum in the 2013 renovation. A robotic dinosaur, which roars and moves in a limited circle, attracts crowds of curious visitors.

However, of late, the museum is showing signs of decline as some sections have been closed to the public and several artefacts have been shifted into display cases without any apparent order.

Models of pre-historic fish share space with ancient veenas. Several items are displayed with cursory handwritten nameplates. The dim lighting is another deterrent, said visitors.

“The authorities should take urgent steps to enumerate and digitally catalogue the items present in the museum. Biodegradable artefacts such as the palm leaf manuscripts, paper documents, and natural fibre yarns could deteriorate over time if they are not preserved in temperature-controlled cases. A digital record would help us create a database of the treasures of this region,” A. Manikandan, founder, Pudukottai Archaeological Research Forum, told The Hindu.

A senior source at the Government Museum said renovation work that had come to a standstill during the post-COVID-19 pandemic years, was being revived this year. “We have prepared our report of the civic works required and a tender will be called for within one or two weeks. We hope to finish the remaining refurbishment by next year,” the official said.

The museum attracts up to 80 to 100 visitors a day, with the robotic dinosaur being among the most popular, followed by the remains of a whale mandible, said the official. “We have provided wheelchairs to enable persons with disability (PwD) to access our premises at present. In the proposed new layout of the museum, there are plans to include a full-fledged ramp access for such visitors,” he added.