The Department of History has a Museum/Archival Cell consisting of sculptures, coins, palmleaf manuscripts, tribal artefacts, brass objects, paintings, rare books, journals, reports, gazetteers, private papers, etc. To procure, these materials a long term survey work has been done on South Odisha for a number of times. Based on their survey collection, the materials have been checked and enlisted in the catalogue. Further, they have been classified, labelled and scientifically preserved. The Museum has also got modern facilities for chemical repair, restoration works for antiquities and archival materials. The objects are being inspected in regular intervals and necessary chemical application and repair work are being done in scientific manner by the officer-in-charge. There are proper arrangements for the researchers in the museum for consultation of archival and other archaeological materials.

Aims and Objectives

• Acquire, maintain and preserving the rare books, manuscripts, rare papers of India with particularly with reference to Southern Odisha.
• Preserve and displaying them scientifically.
• Provide facilities for research scholars.
• Provide technical assistance in respect of Records Management.

Sections

The museum has been classified in different sections such as:

1. Numismatics: The numismatics collection of the museum has a collection of gold and silver casted coins of Sultanate and Mughal period.
2. Sculptures: The museum procures a place to preserve various stone sculptures of some local ruling families. Even plaster cast objects of some Indian Monuments enrich the museum.
3. Tribal Artifacts: A programme was undertaken to survey the tribal areas of Southern Odisha. The Articles collected from the districts of Koraput and Phulbani are placed in the Museum. They are (i) Household Articles, (ii) Musical Instruments (iii) Ornaments, (iv) Hunting Weapons.
4. Brass Metal Objects: Some images made out of brass metal and articles like animals, fruits and ritual objects particularly utilized in the festive occasions (Margasiro month) of high standard craftsmanship have been added to the collection.
5. Paintings: Paintings and sketch of high quality drawn by the students of Khallikote Craft College have also been collected and displayed in the museum.
6. Palmleaf/Bamboo Manuscripts: The palmleaf and bamboo manuscript collection comprises Puranas, Epics, Alankara, Tantra, Astronomy, Ayurveda, Grammar, etc. The illustrated manuscripts of Ramayana, Nabagraha, Kundalis enhance the importance of the Museum collection.
7. Archival Materials: The archival section comprises rare books, journals, reports, gazetteers, maps, proceedings and private papers. They were collected from the different palaces viz., Badagada, Badakhemundi, Tekkali, Icchapur and Library collection of Brajamohan Padhy and Antarjyamee Pati. At present 9,000 books including rare books, journals are there in the Museum.
8. Oral History: Southern Odisha produced many literary figures, freedom fighters and social reformers. In order to preserve their memories and valuable talks, oral history programme was introduced by the Archival Cell. Their speeches and interviews are recorded with the help of tape recorder and kept in the Museum.

Along with this, Photograph of antiquities, temples, mathas and sculptures have been preserved in the photo-archival cell to cater the needs of the researchers.

• A descriptive catalogue of palm leaf manuscripts have been published by this Archival Cell. The catalogue of the cell also includes:
• Alphabetical title index of Odia rare journals viz. Sahakara, Sankho, Nabeena, Naba Jeevan, Naba Bharat, Utkal Sahitya, etc..
• Alphabetical title index of the English rare journals, viz., Prachi, Kalinga Historical Research Journal, Journal of the Bihar and Odisha Historical Research Society, Andhra Historical Research Journal.
• Research books on some aspects of the History and Culture of South Odisha.