Orient & Educate: A Visitors Center for the Taj Mahal
My thesis project studies how a visitors' center and museum near the Taj Mahal can orient and inform its visitors regarding its remarkable past, current efforts to preserve it, and its future as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The challenge will be to design a building that will not only tell the story of the Taj Mahal, but introduce visitors to the other World Heritage Sites in and around Agra and the many other Moghul Era monuments. The experience created by the visitors' center should remain faithful to the true India and not infringe on the local culture. The main outcome of this building will be to invite visitors to stay more than a single day in the city, further supporting a local economy linked so closely to the fate of its iconic monument.
Visitors using the Taj East Gate Road have a glimpse of the Taj Mahal as they approach the Visitors Center.
Beneath the wide entrance porch which splits the building into two parts, visitors can stay shaded and rest before they enter. A pillared hall is a common architectural feature of India, found in many Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim sacred buildings.
The model was built using a laser cutter and museum board, along with dowel rods and plexiglass.
Visitors using the Taj East Gate Road have a glimpse of the Taj Mahal as they approach the Visitors Center.
Project Goals:
1. ORIENT visitors to the city, monuments, and culture.
2. EDUCATE foreign and local visitors alike on the area and its history.
3. ENHANCE the visitor experience.
​The building as designed sits on a common foundation but is split into two parts by a pillared porch. Pillared halls are a common sight in Indian architecture, including Buddhist monasteries, Hindu mandapas, and Islamic cloisters. On the east side of the porch is the Education Center, designed as a meeting ground for academics to research the local monuments and preservation efforts as well as a place for general education of the public. Tour guides who are hired by visitors will also be trained here to support local jobs and ensure the information provided is correct.
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To the West of the porch is the Visitors Center and Museum. Here, local and foreign tourists alike may purchase tickets to tour the Taj Mahal, use the rest room, and enjoy refreshments before entering the pillared Visitors Hall. The Visitors Hall is a space meant for contemplation and provides an opportunity to pause before visiting the famous mausoleum. An Orientation Video gives a brief introduction to the monuments in the area, and the Museum continues to describe the Moghul Empire and their building conquests. The Rooftop offers a spectacular view of the Taj Mahal and Agra and is open at sunrise and sunset for the best photos. Visitors then exit through the Visitors Hall again to continue their journey.

Click on the image to the left to see the official museum brochure!