by Gulrukh Tausif

Created on: May 11, 2010

If you think museums are boring and fit for nerds only, then a visit to the Pakistan Museum for Natural History will surely change your mind. Situated at Garden Avenue, Shakarparian in Islamabad, the museum presents Pakistan's natural history in a fun and informative way. It has colorful and educational displays on various topics such as fossils, rocks, plants and animal species indigenous to this country.

The museum remains open on all days except Friday from 10am to 5 pm. The entry is free for students and children under 12 while adults have to pay a nominal fee of Rs.5 to enter. The reception area houses Virtual Orientation Gallery. This electronic system provides information to students and the general public about the museum and the natural resources of Pakistan using touch screen technology. We can also see photographs and documentaries of wildlife, minerals, gemstones, fossils and rocks on these machines.

As you walk down the steps of the main hall, you are greeted by a huge crocodile with its jaws wide open. Don't worry! It is just a stuffed one but looks very real and gives you an idea of all the sights ahead. The museum is currently divided into five galleries each showing a different aspect of our natural history.

♦ Palaeo Gallery houses teeth, bones and skulls of pre-historic ape species of Pakistan. Fossils from all over the country are displayed in glass cases. The centre of the hall is occupied by skeletons of a giraffe and an elephant. Colourful wall paintings depict the pre-historic era with man and wild animals fighting for survival.

♦ Eco gallery is all about the eco system and how various living organisms interact with the environment. A wonderful representation about Food Chain is found in one corner while many glass cases provide information about life cycles and habitats of insects, fish, butterflies, birds etc.

♦ Gems gallery displays various precious and semi precious gemstones that are found in Pakistan. In spite of the interesting topic, this gallery was quite disappointing because it was very small and cramped. There was hardly any room to move about and see the brilliant gems on display.

♦ Tethys Gallery provides information about ocean life, the Salt range and various minerals and rocks found in Pakistan. It also has a huge skeleton of a whale on display.

♦ Bio Gallery is divided into two parts. One section displays the diversity of plants and animals found in Pakistan. There are stuffed animals and plants portrayed in their natural habitats ranging from oceans to high mountains.

The other section highlights man-made and natural problems that are seriously threatening this bio-diversity. Three-dimensional models highlight problems of pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, over-fishing, over-hunting and severe effects of water logging, salination and desertification on our environment.

Although the trip to the museum is very informative and highly educational, the experience can be made better with some sound effects and more extensive audio-visual aids for the visitors. Some parts of the museum are also closed. One can only hope that they will re-open soon with better and more extensive exhibits for us to enjoy and learn from.

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