MULTAN, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 17th May, 2026) The Punjab government will inaugurate three newly-built museums in Multan, Sialkot and Gujrat on International Museums Day on 18 May (Monday) marking a significant step in the province’s efforts to preserve and promote its cultural heritage.
Officials said the museums would formally open on May 18 as part of a broader initiative of the Punjab government to strengthen cultural and archaeological institutions across the province.
“Three cities, three new museums.This International Museums Day, Gujrat, Sialkot and Multan were each getting a new museum, because Punjab’s history deserves to be seen, celebrated and passed on,” the Punjab Archaeology Department said in an Instagram post.
Director General Archaeology Zaheer Abbas Malik will inaugurate the Multan Museum, established near the historic Qasim Fort mound in the heart of the city. The museum has long been a demand of Multan’s intellectual and cultural circles.
Retired archaeology official Malik Ghulam Muhammad said the project became possible after sustained efforts by local scholars and support from senior bureaucrats and former officials,including former tourism and archaeology secretary Ehsan Bhutta, former Multan commissioners Muhammad Ali Gardezi and Mehmood Akhtar Javed and senior bureaucrat Babar Hayat Tarar.
The Gujrat Museum, housed in the historic Ram Pyari building, will be inaugurated by Project Director PMU Archaeology Punjab Malik Maqsood Ahmed, while former tourism secretary Ehsan Bhutta, now serving as secretary Auqaf, will open the Sialkot Museum.
The development comes months after the inauguration of a museum at Harappa and ongoing restoration projects at seven forts in the Cholistan Desert under the Punjab government’s heritage conservation program.
Archaeologists were busy giving final touches to the Multan Museum over the weekend.
Lead archaeologist Muhammad Hassan supervised arrangements in different galleries, including art and craft, ethnology, Islamic history, war history, and audio-visual sections.
Senior archaeologist Sundus was arranging books and material in the library and audio-visual gallery, while archaeologist Babar Baig finalized captions accompanying antiquities and exhibits.
Officials said the museum building reflects Mughal-era Muslim architecture, featuring red brickwork, Kashikari panels, domes and traditional wooden entrances.
The museum’s war gallery depicts major battles linked to Multan’s history through paintings and dioramas, including Alexander the Great’s siege of Multan in 326 BC, Mahmud of Ghazni’s campaign in 1005 AD, Timur’s conquest in 1398, and the Sikh siege of Multan in 1818 under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
A three-dimensional diorama at the entrance portrays a mounted general wielding a sword, while other displays depict Multan’s historic coin minting and Kashikari craftsmanship.
Officials said the museums would not only preserve historical artefacts but also provide educational and research opportunities for students, historians and visitors interested in Punjab’s rich cultural legacy.
