US-funded project strengthens Mehrgarh Museum’s role in preserving Balochistan’s heritage

KARACHI: From the ancient Mehrgarh civilisation to the historical traditions of the Khanate of Kalat, the Mehrgarh Museum of Balochistan is set to offer visitors a broader insight into the province’s rich archaeological and cultural heritage following the completion of a US-funded preservation project.

The project, supported by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), aims to strengthen the museum’s capacity to preserve, document, interpret and display its archaeological collections while improving public access to Balochistan’s heritage. US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, Balochistan Parliamentary Secretary Nawabzada Mir Muhammad Zarain Khan Magsi and representatives of the Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS) marked the successful completion of the project at a ceremony held at Frere Hall here on Saturday.

Addressing the ceremony, Baker highlighted the importance of American expertise in museum management and heritage preservation. She said the project would enable the Mehrgarh Museum to showcase the 8,000-year-old Mehrgarh civilisation alongside other important aspects of the region’s history.

“Projects like this one show what American expertise delivers: lasting, tangible results that preserve history, create jobs, and strengthen local communities. Together, the United States and Pakistan are making real progress in protecting this remarkable legacy,” Baker said.

Baker also highlighted the project’s focus on improving the presentation of museum collections, expanding community outreach and training local heritage professionals to ensure the long-term preservation of artefacts.

Speaking at the ceremony, Magsi said much of Balochistan’s cultural heritage remained undocumented and had traditionally been preserved through ballads, poetry and stories passed down from one generation to another.

He said that much of Baloch culture and its traditional code of conduct had been transmitted orally, from fathers to sons and subsequent generations, rather than documented in written form.

Describing the project as a major achievement and milestone, Magsi thanked the US Ambassador and the team behind the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for supporting efforts to preserve important aspects of the province’s cultural heritage, including its language, traditions and artefacts.

The project marks the first AFCP initiative in Balochistan and was implemented in collaboration with SEAS and the Balochistan Culture Department. It focused on preserving ancient Neolithic and archaeological artefacts associated with the historic Mehrgarh civilisation, upgrading museum curation to international standards and strengthening the capacity of local professionals.

The work included improvements to gallery layouts and exhibition design, interpretive panels and display showcases, as well as collection storage, management, documentation, cataloguing and digitisation. Audiovisual facilities and visitor information were also included in the museum’s improvements.

Training, capacity-building activities and internships were organised to strengthen the skills of museum and archaeology professionals and support the long-term care of the collections.

Dr Asma Ibrahim, a project lead, said the Mehrgarh Museum should not be viewed simply as a museum dedicated to the archaeological site of Mehrgarh, but as a museum representing the entire province and its extraordinary archaeological, historical and cultural heritage.

She said Balochistan’s cultural history extended from the earliest human settlements and the development of agriculture and crafts to the great civilisations of the Indus region and subsequent historical periods.

The province’s heritage, she added, reflected centuries of cultural interaction, trade, artistic traditions, political developments and the experiences of its people.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026