A first-of-its-kind museum that chronicles the country’s historical electoral journey with artefacts, documents, photographs and film exhibits drawn from rare archives was thrown open to the public here on Tuesday.

Christened “A Journey through Elections,” the museum is located on the first floor of the iconic old St Stephen’s College Building, which currently houses the office of the Delhi State Election Commission at Kashmere Gate.

Endowed with 200-odd exhibits with 100-120 rare photographs, drawn from several archives, the museum was inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, who termed it as the “journey of the electoral democratic process of India”.

“It is a noble initiative to understand the electoral machinery of India from its inception. In the Gandhi section, one can see how Mahatma Gandhi propagated his view of enfranchisement in South Africa and then in India.

“It also shown us how poor people can be very powerful in a democracy. The place has been transformed and I hope the place would soon be crowded with visitors,” Mr Zaidi said.

The exhibits include artefacts like the metal ballot box used in the first general elections in 1952, the one used in 1996, rare black and white images of elections period running through several decades after Independence, and samples of old election symbols.

Rare documents drawn from Delhi Archives, records of Election Commission of India, ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and photo Division and Films Division archives, have also been displayed.