Overview
The Museum
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The Museum is open daily from 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The entry fee is Rs. 40 per person. There are six sections in the museum:
1. Pathology Museum
This section showcases nearly 900 exhibits of economically important diseases and timber decays.
2. Social Forestry Museum
3. Silviculture Museum
This gallery was renovated in 2018. This section presents an overview of how forests evolved and the genesis and growth of forests. It also highlights some of the threats to forests due to deforestation, climactic factors, fires, shifting cultivation and diseases.
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4. Timber Museum
This section highlights the best known and most common commercial wood. There are 126 types of commercial wood on display. The centre of attraction is an 106 year old Deodar tree which was felled in 1919.
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5. Non-Wood Forest Product Museum
This section of the museum focuses on the resin tapping techniques. It displays samples of turpentine oil and rosin as well as a variety of bamboo found in the country.
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6. Entomology Museum
This section consists of 3000 exhibits on insect pests and the damage caused by them to seeds, trees, timber, bamboo and finished products. The exhibits also show the methods of controllng them as well.
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Another section depicts the life history of termites and how to control them. One can also see how timber is graded according to how resistant it is to termite damage.
The Forest Research Institute is an Institute of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and is a premier institution in the field of forestry research in India. It is amongst the oldest institutions of its kind.
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The FRI was set up in 1906 in Chandbagh, on the Mall Road, by Dietrich Brandis and was known as the Imperial Forest Research Institute. The current location came up in 1923 after which the construction of the building was commenced.
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The Institute is spread over 450 acres of land and the building was designed in Greco-Roman and Colonial Architecture by C.G. Blomfield, a British Architect known for designing many buildings in Delhi under Edwin Lutyens.
The institute also hosts the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy which trains officers selected for the Indian Forest Service (IFS). The FRI is also home to th Botanical Museum and many different kinds of tree from around the world can be found on the campus.
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In 1991, it was deemed a University by the University Grants Commission.
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The Institute is 7 kms from the Clock Tower on the Dehradun-Chakrata Road. Public transport is easily available. The Railway Station is 6 kms away and the Jolly Grant Airport is 30 kms away.
The FRI has become an education-cum-tourist spot. The institute organizes guided tours of the campus. The tour takes you through the six museums. There are picnic spots where you can enjoy a leisurely picnic or enjoy bird watching.
FUN FACTS
The Forest Research Institute has been the venue for a number of Bollywood movie shoots. From movies like Rehna Hai Tere Dil Me to the Student of the Year sequels, the FRI has provided a perfect backdrop! When you visit the Institute, see if you can recognize the locations!
Once you have completed your visit to FRI, you can also visit some of the nearby attractions like Chetwoode Hall which houses the Indian Military Academy museum For those who are more spiritually inclined, visit Tapkeshwar Temple which has a natural spring that is believed to have healing powers.