Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) or National Museum of Mankind, an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, began functioning in March 1977 to present the living vulture of the diverse culture of communities across India. It has a regional Centre in Southern India at Mysore that started functioning in October 2001 from a heritage building 'Wellington House' allotted by the Government of Karnataka.
The mandate of the Museum includes the presentation of an integrated story of the bio-cultural evolution of humankind through outdoor and indoor exhibitions by highlighting the richness and diversity of cultural patterns of India and its underlying unity; to act as a Centre of research and training in museology and generate a new museum movement in India and to present and preserve a variety of cultural life.
IGRMS is also working for national integration, and promoting research & training and inter-organizational networking for salvage and revitalisation of vanishing, but valuable cultural traditions. The innovative aspects of the organization are its open-air and indoor exhibitions, built with the active involvement of traditional artisans and experts drawn from different community groups, and the education, outreach & salvage activities in different parts of the country.
Through its exhibitions, education programmes and salvage activities, IGRMS demonstrates the aesthetic qualities of India's traditional lifestyles, and the continued relevance of local traditional knowledge and mores of people to the modern society and cautions the people against unprecedented destruction of ecology and environment, local values and customs.
The programmes and activities of the organisation are carried out under three sub-schemes namely:
1. Infrastructure Development : (Development of Museum Complex),
2. Education and Outreach Programme,
3. Operation Salvage.