State Bank Museum
sights/museum
The State Bank Museum is located in Karachi and is the first money museum in Pakistan. It is situated in the premises of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and exhibits artifacts about monetary systems from ancient to modern times. The building of the museum itself is a historical asset, as it was previously the Imperial Bank of India. One can easily detect ‘Imperial Bank of India’ inscribed in the stone wall on the head of the central entrance of the building, as a witness of its historical value.
The State Bank Pakistan Museum and Art Gallery was took shape under the guidance of the Director of the Museum and a renowned archaeologist, Dr Asma Ibrahim, and was inaugurated by Dr Ishrat Hussain on 1st of July, 2011 in Karachi. In the main hall there is an introductory visual tour of the museum on a big LCD screen. There are SBP officials there too, to take you on a tour of the museum. Generally a tour starts from the left side of the main hall, where there are items depicting the barter system and next to it is a small glass case with the punch marked coins belonging to the period 6000BC.
The first gallery is the Governors’ Gallery where the furniture used by the first Governor of SBP, Zahid Hussain, is kept and the walls are adorned with portraits and biographical citations of all the governors of SBP in chronological order. There is also the photograph of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah inaugurating the former State Bank building (now Supreme Court).
Coins Gallery
The Coins Gallery-I carries exhibits related to pre-Islamic times, such as of 2000BC, punch marked coins of 6000BC, Indo-Greek coins of the era of Alexander the Great, coins of Indo-Sassanid and Indo-Parthian periods, normal and gold coins of Hindu Shahi period and coins of the Gandhara period.
The Coins Gallery-II has the coins of the early Arab rulers of the subcontinent, starting from the period of AD712, the Sultans of Delhi such as Razia Sultana, Shamsuddin Altamash and Ghiyasuddin Balban, and other Muslim rulers such as Tughlaqs, Khiljis and Lodhis. The coins of the Mughal era begin from the founder of Mughal dynasty Zaheeruddin Babar, then Sher Shah Suri (a non-Mughal emperor) Jalaluddin Akbar, Nooruddin Jahangir and his queen Noor Jehan, and also of Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Coins of Indian states such as Mysore, ruled by Haider Ali and then Tipu Sultan, Hyderabad Deccan and Bhawalpur are also exhibited. There is one dedicated showcase displaying coins used by the East India Company and another one houses Pakistani coins from 1948. Also on display are glorious civil and military medals of Pakistan which are cast in the mint in Lahore.
The coins collection has coins made of different kinds of metals such as iron, copper, silver, gold and have different sizes and shapes, such as circles, squares, rectangles and so on.
Stamp Gallery
The Stamp Gallery is an awe-inspiring place that is sure to fascinate even those who are not too interested in stamps. Among the exhibits is the first postal stamp of the world issued by Britain in 1840, as well as those that were once used as money. These stamps were used as money during the Second World War. A replica of the sacred seal of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) is also on display.
Currency Gallery
The Currency Gallery exhibits currency notes of the British rule in the subcontinent, including those that were used during the initial period after independence in 1947, until September 1948. Later, the Government of Pakistan issued its currency in the forms of Rs.5, Rs.10 and Rs.1000 notes. After a decade of independence, in 1957, the picture of Quaid-e-Azam began to be printed on the notes. At the end of the gallery are displayed present-day currency notes in polymer.
Other Galleries
The SBP History Gallery exhibits the record of SBP’s foundation, including the first General Ledger of the Bank written in 1948. Near the exit of this gallery is the first Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of Pakistan installed at Habib Bank in 1988. The Art Gallery, also called the Sadequain Gallery, located on the mezzanine floor, houses the artist’s remarkable murals that really catch the eye. The mural titled ‘Treasure of Time’, presents images of notable philosophers, thinkers and scientists of the world, starting from early times to Pluto, Galileo, Newton and Einstein, to name a few.
The State Bank Pakistan Museum and Art Gallery was took shape under the guidance of the Director of the Museum and a renowned archaeologist, Dr Asma Ibrahim, and was inaugurated by Dr Ishrat Hussain on 1st of July, 2011 in Karachi. In the main hall there is an introductory visual tour of the museum on a big LCD screen. There are SBP officials there too, to take you on a tour of the museum. Generally a tour starts from the left side of the main hall, where there are items depicting the barter system and next to it is a small glass case with the punch marked coins belonging to the period 6000BC.
The first gallery is the Governors’ Gallery where the furniture used by the first Governor of SBP, Zahid Hussain, is kept and the walls are adorned with portraits and biographical citations of all the governors of SBP in chronological order. There is also the photograph of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah inaugurating the former State Bank building (now Supreme Court).
Coins Gallery
The Coins Gallery-I carries exhibits related to pre-Islamic times, such as of 2000BC, punch marked coins of 6000BC, Indo-Greek coins of the era of Alexander the Great, coins of Indo-Sassanid and Indo-Parthian periods, normal and gold coins of Hindu Shahi period and coins of the Gandhara period.
The Coins Gallery-II has the coins of the early Arab rulers of the subcontinent, starting from the period of AD712, the Sultans of Delhi such as Razia Sultana, Shamsuddin Altamash and Ghiyasuddin Balban, and other Muslim rulers such as Tughlaqs, Khiljis and Lodhis. The coins of the Mughal era begin from the founder of Mughal dynasty Zaheeruddin Babar, then Sher Shah Suri (a non-Mughal emperor) Jalaluddin Akbar, Nooruddin Jahangir and his queen Noor Jehan, and also of Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Coins of Indian states such as Mysore, ruled by Haider Ali and then Tipu Sultan, Hyderabad Deccan and Bhawalpur are also exhibited. There is one dedicated showcase displaying coins used by the East India Company and another one houses Pakistani coins from 1948. Also on display are glorious civil and military medals of Pakistan which are cast in the mint in Lahore.
The coins collection has coins made of different kinds of metals such as iron, copper, silver, gold and have different sizes and shapes, such as circles, squares, rectangles and so on.
Stamp Gallery
The Stamp Gallery is an awe-inspiring place that is sure to fascinate even those who are not too interested in stamps. Among the exhibits is the first postal stamp of the world issued by Britain in 1840, as well as those that were once used as money. These stamps were used as money during the Second World War. A replica of the sacred seal of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) is also on display.
Currency Gallery
The Currency Gallery exhibits currency notes of the British rule in the subcontinent, including those that were used during the initial period after independence in 1947, until September 1948. Later, the Government of Pakistan issued its currency in the forms of Rs.5, Rs.10 and Rs.1000 notes. After a decade of independence, in 1957, the picture of Quaid-e-Azam began to be printed on the notes. At the end of the gallery are displayed present-day currency notes in polymer.
Other Galleries
The SBP History Gallery exhibits the record of SBP’s foundation, including the first General Ledger of the Bank written in 1948. Near the exit of this gallery is the first Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of Pakistan installed at Habib Bank in 1988. The Art Gallery, also called the Sadequain Gallery, located on the mezzanine floor, houses the artist’s remarkable murals that really catch the eye. The mural titled ‘Treasure of Time’, presents images of notable philosophers, thinkers and scientists of the world, starting from early times to Pluto, Galileo, Newton and Einstein, to name a few.
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