THE Hon Lim Chin Tsong’s OBE palace in Bahan Township, Yangon Region, has been renovated and maintained since the 2022-2023 financial year to transform it into a national art museum that preserves, collects, and exhibits works of art from all over Myanmar, thereby promoting a greater understanding of the value of art, according to Director of the National Museum (Yangon) Daw Nan Laung Ngin.
“In 2018, at an art exhibition held at the Hon Lim Chin Tsong’s OBE palace, prominent artists, including U Lun Gywe, presented a proposal to the State to establish a large art museum at the palace that would showcase works of art from across the country. This structure is also a popular destination for international tourists, which prompted the request. As a result, the large-scale renovation of the facility was initially planned to begin in the 2020-2021 financial year, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed and began in the 2022-2023 financial year. Only a few major renovations remain. The building will be ready when the museum opens soon. We have already collected many art objects, including paintings and sculptures, and are collaborating with art organizations to open the museum as soon as possible,” said Daw Nan Law Ngin.
Arrangements are being made to open 11 galleries on the first floor and eight galleries on the second floor. The remaining floors will house coffee shops, libraries, painting studios, meeting rooms, offices, and souvenir shops.
The construction of the Hon Lim Chin Tsong’s OBE palace, a five-story octagonal building that blends European, Asian, and Chinese architectural styles, began in 1915 and was completed in 1917. — ASH/TH
