Growing up in Hyderabad, HMT was an integral part of my life as my father was employed with the PSU for over 40 years. So, when I heard about the HMT Heritage Centre and Museum opening in Bangalore, I was thrilled and it was a place I had to visit. An interesting addition to the existing museums in the city, this one is beautifully done up in the building which was once the house of the HMT chairman. The museum bought back plenty of pleasant memories of my childhood days and proved to be an insightful visit.
Exterior of the HMT Heritage Centre and Museum
With an area of over 4000 sq feet, this is yet another interesting museum which is a treasure house of information related to this conglomerate which was intrinsic to the industrial revolution in India. A organization that was revolutionary and a game changer in its time, HMT was started in 1953 with a commitment to “manufacture mother machines to build modern industrial India”. There are detailed information boards on the history and development of its factories all over India starting with the first one in Bangalore.
As it is well known, one of HMT’s major success stories was its tryst with watch manufacture. Owning a HMT watch at that time was indeed a matter of pride. The section dedicated to watches is comprehensive and includes displays pertaining to the quality control processes followed by the organization during watch manufacture. There are also displays pertaining to the evolution of the packing boxes, horological jigs and fixtures, watch assembly and watch maker’s tools. There is a section dedicated to their special watch ranges ranges like “Utsav” and “Galaxy” as well as customized watches that were made for nurses, Braille users etc.
There are several displays pertaining to machine tools, lamps and tractors as well. The entire set up is extremely engaging with interesting trivia and working models which give the visitors an almost ‘real’ experience of how the organization was. The whole museum uses furniture that is recycled and upcycled and is a lesson in ecofriendly practices.
Visitors can also indulge in a tractor ride, view an AV film as well as shop in the souvenir store in the premises. Contact: HMT Colony, HMT Estate, Jalahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560013.
