From ancient tree specimens to various insects that depend on wood and a xylarium with samples from over 300 species of trees, the Woods Museum cum Interpretation Centre in Bengaluru also offers courses.
In a city known for its green cover, one does not often think about the trees that contribute to the fundamental needs of humans. At the Institute of Wood Science and Technology in Bengaluru’s Malleswaram, the Woods Museum cum Interpretation Centre (WMIC) highlights the various uses of wood and houses specimens of various species of trees.
Of particular interest are the ancient tree specimens housed within the museum, which largely caters to students from schools and colleges. One of them, a teak log cross-section, was taken from a tree that sprouted sometime around the foundation of the East India Company in 1600, and lived until shortly after Independence. Another such teak cross-section is nearly eight centuries old.
The museum, established in January 2012, also has a large collection of posters devoted to various facts about trees and wood — from what the darkest wood in the world is to what kind produces the most heat when burned.
Among the interactive displays, which can be handled by visitors, include various wood samples showing the contrast between regular wood and wood that has undergone processes such as heat treatment. Other display cases show the various insects that depend on wood in their ecosystem. The effect of pests on trees is also on display in the form of a completely hollow trunk of a Gulmohar tree that once stood in Malleswaram.
Of particular interest at the museum is a xylarium which houses wood samples from more than 300 different species of trees. The idea behind the xylarium is to serve as a wood repository to compare with other wood samples that may need to be identified. These samples are taken from the main xylarium of the Institute of Wood Science, which currently houses over 2,000 different wood samples. This is one of the two primary xylariums in the country, with the other one in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.
An interactive Interpretation Centre for the museum is also currently awaiting funding.
Another interesting spot is the Institute’s Advanced Woodworking Training Centre located below the museum. Taking wood a step further than carpentry, the Centre, which was originally set up as a joint venture with the Italian government, offers courses ranging from a month to a year, catering mainly to hobbyists, prospective workers in the woodworking industry, and entrepreneurs looking to learn about the field. The Centre also makes use of precision Computerised Numerical Control machines, which were also used to create an engraving of the Mysore Palace for the Wood Museum.
The Wood Museum is open on weekdays until 5 pm.
source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)