Lakkundi Open Air Museum

Deccan Heritage Foundation (DHF) is developing an Open-Air Museum at Lakkundi, Gadag, commissioned by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage (DAMH), Government of Karnataka. The project is being undertaken in two phases: preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), followed by DHF’s role as consultant for the execution of the project.

The museum site houses approximately 2,200 architectural elements, many of which were contributed by local villagers to the Government of Karnataka during collection drives pioneered by Hon’ble H.K. Patil, former Tourism Minister of Karnataka. DHF is documenting these objects and developing a world-class museum that places them at the centre of a larger story about Lakkundi.

The museum will interpret the art and architecture of the Kalyana Chalukyas, for whom Lakkundi was an important centre of architectural experimentation and development. Beyond architecture, the museum will explore Lakkundi as a socio-cultural and intellectual hub, presenting narratives around the region’s historic minting traditions, Gadag’s handloom weaving, the Veerasaiva movement, and figures such as Basavanna, Attimabbe and Allama Prabhu.

Interactive exhibits and digital technologies will enable visitors of all ages to engage with the collection. Broken architectural elements will be digitally interpreted and reconstructed to help visitors understand their original form and architectural context. The museum will also explore the wider influence and legacy of Kalyana Chalukya architecture on later Deccan traditions, including those of the Kakatiyas, Yadavas and Hoysalas.

Designed as an open-air cultural landscape, the museum will incorporate generous public spaces overlooking the lakefront to the south, creating opportunities for visitors to learn, gather, relax and engage with Lakkundi’s heritage.

The project aims to transform a collection of architectural fragments into a living museum of Lakkundi—connecting its architecture, people, crafts, ideas and continuing cultural traditions.