Prachina Cultural Center and Museum in Bikaner was founded in the year 2002 by the Late Maharaja Narendra Singhji of Bikaner, Siddhi Kumari. Her main idea was to conserve and preserve the rich cultural diversity of Bikaner, and put on display the city’s monolithic individuality.
The collection in Prachina museum consists of royal textiles and costumes, religious accessories, the Western influence on the royalty and family portraits of the previous rulers along with contemporary arts and crafts items.
Like the other state palaces of India, changes came in the architecture of palaces of Bikaner in the late 19th century, with Indo-European lifestyle coming-in. Cut glass chandeliers, oil paintings by European artists, stained glass and mirrors from Belgium, classic French furniture and porcelains vases from Japan and China are some of the highlights. One can also spot objects of daily use and personal accessories of men and women such as scissors, beads, pedicure and manicure tools with ivory, buttons, mother-of-pearl and silver handles, gold-embossed glass bottles of perfumes, Belgian mirrors, hand fans silver and gold thread embroidery.
The other items on display at Prachina museum of Bikaner are ivory and sandalwood hand-fans, jewelry boxes, back-scratchers, filigree work vase, ivory and lac turnery, brass containers, liquor glasses, different kinds of bowls, European cut glasses, and best of crockeries.
Prachina museum is not only a museum but a cultural center too as it works for promotion and welfare of local artists. This is done by providing them a completely separate gallery in the museum so that they can not only showcase but can also sell their art works. The center also works towards the restoration of folk performing arts of the Marwar region.
At the Library of the culture center, there is an amazing collection of books on art, culture as well as history of Bikaner, available to visitors and scholars.
The complex of Prachina museum, Bikaner also has a museum shop and a museum cafe.