Visiting Hours:
Sunday and Wednesday
6:00pm - 9:00 pm
or by appointment
" . . . no one should use my rooms in my absence." This instruction was given by Srila Prabhupada to the devotees who took care of Srila Prabhupada's quarters in every temple wherever he went in the world. It is the same instruction which afforded the creation of the Bhaktivedanta Memorial Museum and Library here in New York City.
When Srila Prabhupada made his final and triumphant visit to New York City, in July of 1976, the ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir was located at 340 W. 55th St, an 11 story building near the theater district of Manhattan New York. Srila Prabhupada's rooms were established on the 11th floor, and set up really nicely. After Srila Prabhupada's subsequent departure from the material world in 1977, his rooms were maintained as they were, and soon were transformed into a memorial exhibit.
Gradually the exhibit increased from Srila
Prabhupada's two rooms to include a hallway exhibit of photos of Srila
Prabhupada preaching around the world, 8 mm films of early ISKCON activities, a
diorama of Srila Prabhupada dictating the KRSNA book, and two rooms filled with
personal paraphernalia and ISKCON documents of historical interest. Devotees
contributed many of the items on display. Among them, His Holiness Tamal Krishna
Goswami donated Srila Prabhupada's passport, cape worn at the Conway hall
engagement (London) and many other items now for all to see.
In 1980, with the closing of the West 55th st. temple, the exhibit took a 7 year
hiatus to Kearney NJ, to a "A Space Station" self storage. In 1987, by
Lord Krishna's mercy and an understanding on the part of the temple
administrators as to the museum's spiritual importance, the Bhaktivedanta
Memorial exhibit left storage and was reestablished in its current location on
the second mezzanine level of the Radha Govinda Mandira, now located at 305
Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn NY. With less space than we had on 55th st. the
museum displays and Srila Prabhupada's rooms were consolidated so that none of
the exhibits remained unaccesible.
In room #1 many original newspaper articles as
well as paraphernalia illustrate ISKCON's humble beginnings on the Lower East
Side of NY. Srila Prabhupada's murti is seen signing two important documents
that explain "daily requirements for all initiated devotees" and
"the ten offenses to guard against the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha
mantra. A large display of Srila Prabhupada's books in many different languages
and several original BBT paintings are also visible.
Room #2 houses two additional life size murtis of Srila Prabhupada, one seated
on his bed, and the other in the diorama of Srila Prabhupada's Henry St. office,
dictating the KRSNA book. The entrance room as a video presentation of Srila
Prabhupada's video's and a large display of Srila Prabhupada's traveling
suitcase and several early 1960's letters to NY devotees.
|
Contact: Ramabhadra
Dasa for further information |