The first in the series of —
EXPLORING THE UNEXPLORED!
STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN MUSEUM
The hot, autumn morning of October 18, 2019 saw the students of Grades X & XI piling into buses with excitement only teens can exhibit. Their destination was the business hub of Karachi, the historic I.I. Chundrigar Road. The buses passed by the towering, circular building of Habib Bank Plaza, the graceful Finlay House, the unique Bogie Café, the architectural delight – MCB Tower until they stopped outside their final destination, State Bank of Pakistan Museum under the shade of the majestic State Bank of Pakistan. The museum stood tall and graceful, commanding respect.
The students and staff were greeted by the courteous and enthusiastic team of the Museum. Once the MSBians entered, the grandeur of the museum was the first thing that struck them, they were seated, given a warm welcome and made to watch an introductory video followed by a virtual tour and finally a short clip on Museum Ethics. In less than half an hour, the students were split into three groups and under the guidance of museum staff each group proceeded to different segments of the museum. From barter to the advent of money, the museum had it all. Besides the display of the history of money in the subcontinent, the museum also showcased various machineries and equipment that have been in use since time unmemorable. The picture galleries exhibited the history of the money market in Pakistan since independence. Glass shelves full of different forms of notes and coins with dates and the era they belonged to were of special interest to the students and staff alike. The Sadequain Art Gallery was housed separately in all its grandeur, depicting history in a way that few have the mastery to do so. It led to a mini gallery housing works of contemporary artists who had miraculously restored works that would have been lost otherwise. Towards the end, all the students watched a movie on coin minting and visited the souvenir shop from where some bought mementoes. The Economics students were specially thrilled to actually witness all that they had studied in their classes along with much more that answered so many of their questions. The museum not only houses the history of money but also contains valuable prints, artifacts, videos, voice recordings pertaining to the history of Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam. In fact it pays special homage to the Founder of the Nation and reflects immense love and pride for the leader who knows no parallel.
On departure, all the students and staff members were given free souvenirs of shredded notes. Everybody returned, more learned than before, many planning to visit it again with families. It was a trip to be cherished for long and we feel obliged towards the staff of the museum.
