Karachi Museum of History to be built by the seaside

• CM, city mayor among others perform groundbreaking of the landmark project at Clifton’s Beach View Park • Murad says museum will preserve stories and legacy of migrants, traders, intellectuals for generations to come

KARACHI: For now, it is only a piece of turf by the seaside. But this part of the Beach View Park in Clifton is where a new, one of its kind, digitally interactive museum to preserve and celebrate the history and heritage of Sindh and the Pakistan independence movement will come up soon. It is where the Sindh government, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) hosted the ground-breaking ceremony of the Karachi Museum of History on a very breezy Saturday afternoon.

Planned as a landmark cultural and educational space, the Karachi Museum of History will be built on globally recognised museum practices to create an immersive cultural institution that brings Pakistan’s independence and Sindh’s 5,000-year history to life through storytelling, technology, archival material and interactive experiences.

Through innovative exhibition design, oral history, research and public engagement, the museum aims to become a landmark destination for culture, education and tourism in Karachi. It is an initiative that builds on CAP’s long-standing commitment to public history and cultural preservation, following the launch of the National History Museum in Lahore in partnership with the Punjab government in 2017.

The groundbreaking was attended by key government officials and civil society members, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, KMC representatives and CAP members, including its Patron-in-Chief Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Shah said Karachi is not only a city, it is an opportunity, a living archive of our collective memory, resilience and cultural diversity.

“Karachi is a city where everyone wants to come and no one wants to leave. The Karachi Museum of History will preserve the stories and legacy of migrants, traders, labourers, intellectuals, who came to this city, for generations to come. Karachi reflects the spirit and values of coexistence,” he added.

He also said that Ms Obaid-Chinoy had first got the idea for such a place more than 10 years ago. “At the time we thought of using the Fayzee Rahamin building for the project but it was not given to us,” the CM said.

He appreciated the efforts of the culture department, the KMC and the CAP for their commitment and collaboration in transforming this vision into reality.

He congratulated all the scholars, historians, architects, artists and professionals who have contributed to the project. “Your work will help preserve the soul of this great city for generations to come,” he said.

The culture minister said that the Karachi Museum of History will be a flagship project for the city.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Wahab said that Karachi is one of the great cities of the world. For too long, it has lacked a civic institution that reflects its richness.

“The Karachi Museum of History will change that. It is Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s dream for Karachi, which will soon turn into a reality. The KMC is proud to play its part in delivering a landmark that belongs to every resident of this city,” he said.

While thanking the Sindh government and the KMC for joining hands with CAP for the museum project, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said that Karachi has many stories to tell and we have grown up listening to those stories which are very much true.

“There are stories from the Cantonment Railway Station where people arrived with a single suitcase and lots of hope, stories from refugee camps where people started lives afresh and stories from the first government offices where in the absence of office furniture people used hardboard crates for desks. Then these people slowly became a part of this city and Sindh opened its heart for all of them,” she said.

“As Pakistan approaches the 80th anniversary of its independence, our partnership with the Government of Sindh and the KMC is an opportunity to create a lasting home for the stories that shaped our nation. The museum will honour the people who fought for Pakistan’s independence, celebrate the rich history and culture of Sindh and reflect the resilience, hope and extraordinary spirit of Karachi, a city that has carried the dreams of generations from across the country,” she concluded.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2026