New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS): The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and the India Art Fair organised a ‘Night at the Museum' here which extended museum visitation hours aimed at introducing a wider audience to the art collections of Indian masters.

Conducted from the extended hours of 8-11 p.m., the first edition of the 'Night at the Museum' on Wednesday saw lecturers conducting a guided tour of the permanent collection, containing works by Amrita Sher-Gil, Rabindranath Tagore, Raja Ravi Varma, Nandalal Bose and Jamini Roy among others, on display at NGMA galleries.

According to an NGMA statement, at least 150 visitors also participated in 'Roopantar', an exhibition of sculptures from the NGMA treasure, and 'Dandi Yatra' -- an exhibition that pays homage to Gandhi's iconic Dandi March.

"The idea of extending the museum visiting hours and organising a special event such as the 'Night at the Museum' was to increase museum visitation and introduce our collection and work to a larger audience," NGMA Director General Adwaita Gadanayak said.

The process began a year and half ago by extending museum hours beyond the usual working hours and introducing outreach and educational activities for all age groups, like the 'Art Adda' programme that included film screenings, classical music and dance workshops.

The NGMA, which recently hosted a live auction of mementos gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that it aims to conduct the 'Night at the Museum' as a regular activity on the last working day of every month.