Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Museum

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Museum a centre for collection and preservation of Zainul Abedin's art. As per government order for a nation-wide preservation of the artist's paintings and works, the museum was established in 1975. The site selected was at the north end of Mymensingh, the hometown of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, by the nature surrounded shadowy banks of the old Brahmaputra. The concept of an archive was first conceptualised by the Shilpacharya who, in mid nineteen fifties, spearheaded the movement of collecting neglected pieces of invaluable works of art scattered all over rural Bangladesh. The art centre started on 7 July 1975 in a colonial building owned by a Mr Barden who later sold it to nalini ranjan sarkar, a member of the Viceroy's executive council.
Every piece of art in this archive bears the stamp of the traditional folk art of Bangladesh. The archive opened with only 70 pieces of art most of which were oil paintings drawn by the Shilpacharya during his different tours abroad and paintings on the Famine, Boat-Pulling, Father and Son Waiting for River Crossing etc. 17 famous and attractive pieces of art were stolen in 1982, of which 10 could be recovered in 1994. At present there is a total of 53 priceless pieces of work of art in the archive. In accordance to the plans of the Shilpacharya, an art school has also been established at the same place where young boys and girls learn about Zainul Abedin's paintings.