Old DC Office Museum plan gains momentum

DPR assigned to private firm; to showcase Mysuru’s glorious history, traditions, heritage

Mysuru: The old Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Office in the heart of the city is set to become a new tourist attraction, with plans to transform the Wadiyar-era heritage structure into a museum gaining momentum.

During a District Progress Review meeting at the Zilla Panchayat hall on Friday, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy updated Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the status of the proposal to convert the old DC’s Office into a museum.

Reddy explained that plans to repurpose the historic building into a museum that would showcase Mysuru’s rich history and heritage are progressing.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, the DC said, “A private firm has been assigned the task of preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR). We have sufficient funds for the project, and once the DPR is ready, we will seek approval from the Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage. The building will then be handed over to the department to realise the museum plan.”

In a recent review meeting for Swadesh Darshan 2.0, Reddy had also emphasised that the second phase of the project includes converting the old DC Office into a museum that highlights Mysuru’s glorious history, traditions, and heritage — this will be factored into the DPR. The museum is expected to showcase the contributions of the Mysore Maharajas, Dewans, and the administrative reforms under the Wadiyars, along with Mysuru’s heritage.

Following the relocation of the DC Office to the new District-level Office Complex at Siddarthanagar in June 2023, calls to repurpose the unused old DC Office as a museum gained traction, given the heritage significance of the 129-year-old building, constructed during the reign of the 23rd Maharaja of Mysore, Chamaraja Wadiyar X.