History

In 1889, a proposal for the foundation of an archaeology museum in the Indian city of Srinagar was formulated by Amar Singh and S.H. Godmerry.^[2] Singh was an officer in the British Indian Army, while Godmerry was a scholar.^[3] The pair produced and submitted a memorandum to Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, the ruler of Sringar and Amar's older brother.^[3] The Majarah accepted the proposal and agreed to allow for the establishment of a museum; this new institution would house artifacts from Jammu, Kashmir, Baltistan and Gilgit.^[3] The museum was to be located inside a state-owned building near the Jhelum river.^[2]

The establishment of the museum was overseen by John Marshal, a British archaeologist (and future director of the Archaeological Survey of India) who was renowned for his work in preserving the archaeological history of India.^[3] Srinagar's Accountant General, one Mr. Blerjee, was appointed as the first president of the museum; Blerjee was also tasked with recording a large collection of coins the museum added to its collection.^[3] The museum opened to the public in 1898, with its first collection consisting of items from Majarah Pratap's palace treasury.^[3]

Following the re-organizational efforts of Indian archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni in 1913, the museum received objects recovered from archaeological excavations in Panderenthan, Parihaspora and Avantipura.^[3] The collection of the museum continued to grow through the donation of items by private collectors; many of these items were domestic or household in nature.^[3][4]

In 2017, the museum finished constructing a second building.^[4] The new building was built to be fire and earthquake resistant, and is used to house some of the SPS's more popular exhibits. The older 19th-century building remains in use.^[4]