Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
 Example of two ecosan toilet squatting pans, found in a Sulabh complex in India | |
| Established | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Location | New Delhi, India |
| Website | sulabhtoiletmuseum.org |
The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in Delhi is a museum run by the Sulabh International, which is dedicated to the global history of sanitation and toilets. According to Time magazine, the museum is one of the weirdest museums[1] among the "10 museums around the world that are anything but mundane".[2] It was established in 1992 by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, a social activist, founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, recipient of national and international awards including the Stockholm Water Prize in 2009. His objective in establishing this museum was to highlight the need to address the problems of the sanitation sector in the country, considering the efforts made in various parts of the world in this field since the third millennium BC.[3]
Features
The museum, established in 1992,[3] has exhibits from 50 countries,[1] arranged sequentially in three sections of "Ancient, Medieval and Modern", according to the period of the sanitation artifacts collected from 3000 BC till the end of the 20th century.[3]
The museum's exhibits bring out the development of the toilet related technology of the entire gamut of human history, social habits, etiquettes specific to existing sanitary situation and the legal framework in different periods. The items on display not only include privies, chamber pots, decorated Victorian toilet seats, toilet furniture, bidets and water closets in vogue since from 1145 AD to-date. Display boards have poetry related to toilet and its use.[3][4]
Some of the interesting and amusing objects and information charts on display are: a reproduction of a commode in the form of treasure chest of the British medieval period;[3] a reproduction of the supposed toilet of King Louis XIV which is reported to have been used by the king to defecate while holding court;[4] a toilet camouflaged in the form of a bookcase;[2] information on the technology transfer from Russia to NASA to convert urine into potable water, a deal of $19 million; display boards with comics, jokes and cartoons related to humour on toilets;[1] toilet pots made of gold and silver used by the Roman emperors; information about flush pot designed in 1596 by Sir John Harington during Queen Elizabeth I's regime; the sewerage system that existed during the Harappan Civilization; and historical information from the Lothal archeological site on the development of toilets during the Indus Valley Civilization.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "36 hours in Delhi". Visit a Museum. India Today. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
- 1 2 "Delhi's toilets museum among world's 10 weirdest museums". The Hindu. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Museum". Sulabhtoiletmuseum Organization. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
- 1 2 "Delhi's Toilets Museum Among World's 10 Weirdest Museums". NDTV. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2015.