INS Khukri
Ship Museum
INS Khukri Ship Museum
Overview
Client
Maritime Mumbai Museum Society / Diu UT Administration
Location
Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Scope
Experience Strategy & Museum Design, Turnkey Design Execution
Introduction
Museum Ship Khukri transforms INS Khukri (P49) – the Indian Navy’s first indigenously built missile corvette – into an immersive maritime heritage experience. Rather than treating the vessel as a preserved artefact, the museum allows the ship to tell its own story, bringing together its authentic structure, naval history, and the human experiences of those who served at sea. The result is an experience that connects visitors with the ethos of the Indian Navy through technology, discipline, courage, service, and sacrifice.
The Challenge
The challenge was to transform an authentic naval vessel into an immersive public experience without compromising its character, atmosphere, or historical significance. The experience needed to move beyond displaying the ship, its equipment, and technology to reveal the human stories behind them – bringing alive the discipline, camaraderie, courage, and sacrifice that define life at sea. Equally important was creating a narrative that could connect the vessel’s technological and naval legacy with the emotional history of those who served aboard it, making the story accessible and inspiring for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
Our Approach & Overall Impact
Lokusdesign conceived the experience around three interconnected dimensions: The Ship → The Navy → The People. The vessel itself becomes both artefact and environment, while spatial storytelling, archival imagery, interpretive graphics, multimedia, and human narratives reveal the larger story of India’s maritime capability and life at sea.
The journey moves from the physical world of the ship to the deeper themes of service, courage, sacrifice, and legacy—including the story of the first INS Khukri and those who served aboard her. By allowing visitors to experience the vessel rather than simply view it, the museum creates a powerful connection with India’s naval heritage and inspires younger generations to engage with the values of service, discipline, courage, and national responsibility.
