Lucknow Bioscope’s vision is to explore, preserve, and promote Lucknow’s extraordinary syncretic heritage and its artistic, cultural, and historical significance. A first-of-its-kind permanent museum, it is devoted to the spirit of Lucknowiyat. The museum is open to the public, houses the known, rediscovered, and yet to be uncovered treasures of the city.
The gali kooche of Lucknow are an amalgamation of everything that the city stands for – crafts, commerce, architecture and its rich syncretic culture. The beauty of the city lies in these narrow lanes and bylanes where life thrives and people from all walks of life come together and support each other in many ways.
The museum is divided into sections that deal with different facets of Lucknow Ke Gali Kooche.
- Maps and Memoirs – This is a collection of 32 galis on which the team conducted thorough research. Each gali is represented through a photograph, a write up and a gali specific element (if found).
- Galiyon Ka Mushahda – This section has observations that the team came across while researching. There are five stories in this section – about the bhishtis who supplied water, he khachchars (mules) who carry goods in the galis, the people who pick gold and silver in the sarrafas, the interconnected terraces and people spending time there, lastly the lamplighter who lit the lamp as the sun set.
- Galiyon ki Buniyaad: This section talks about the architecture of the houses in galis. The various styles and elements have been discussed in detail.
- Souvenirs – This section has souvenirs related to the Gali Kooche of Lucknow – tote bags, magnets, stickers and magazines.
- Lucknow Books – This section has Lucknow specific books. There’s every genre – history, food, arts and culture.
The exhibition will be on view until 8th June, 2025.
