What language unites us all? What has waged so many wars, inspired so many men to brave harsh seas and desolate deserts? There are many answers to this but in the depth of all lies money. Money has waged wars, created and destroyed nations, inspired voyages, turned paupers into princes and has shaped and carved itself into the history of the world. Started in the form of exchange and then barter system, money took the shape of coins many millennia ago. The evolution of money is steeped in history and has many chronicles to echo. To depict this history of money, a currency museum; the first of its kind opened its doors on the premises of the Bangladesh Bank Training Academy at Mirpur last October. 2500 years of history is represented through coinage and currency in the museum and all decorated in a chronological order. Some of the earliest coins are sourced from Narsingdi and Bogra and the common symbols used in these coins are animal and folk or religious symbols. Coins form the Gupta, Pala, Sena and Sultani periods are on display here. Punch marked coins are showcased in the musem and so are Harikela coins which represent the return of silver coinage in Bangladesh after the later Gupta period. Coins in both silver and cast copper are on display. Take a walk through history as you move on to the coins from the Mughal Era and the exchanges and riches in the times of Akbar and Shahjahan. This then paves the pathway for the British period in Bangladesh and also the introduction of the first paper money in our country. The story continues onto the Pakistan period coinage and then to independent Bangladesh's currency. The museum also boasts an exhibition of coinage and currency from almost 200 countries, with the smallest note from Germany and vertically designed notes from China. Tarik Sujat, the interior designer of Journeyman Interiors responsible for the interior of the money museum tells us that the museum is equipped with the latest technology in security and is one of the first digital museums in the country. Inside the museum premises there are 3D monitors that display the coins and the notes, along with an information kiosk and photo kiosk. The money museum is the brainchild of Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Atiur Rahman and has been implemented with the help of the museum implementation team consisting of historians, artists, architects and experts from other fields. “Travelling through many countries, I have sourced inspiration for this money museum and here there is a true representation of a digital museum and world class technology” says Tarik Sujat. He also mentions of a cafe and a children's corner which is to open soon in the museum premises. The money museum is an opportunity for people to learn about the coinage and history of the country in perspective of money. The evolution of currency is a fascinating phenomenon, where once it was possible to trade two goats for a cow has now evolved into a sophisticated method of transaction. Now it is enclosed in glass casings ready for the people to see and appreciate the dialect that we all speak in many different ways -- the language of money! The viewing hours for the museum starts at 11am and ends at 5pm from Saturday through Wednesday and on Fridays the museum viewing hours start at 4pm ending at 7pm with Thursdays marking the weekly holiday. Entrance is free. Location: Bangladesh Bank Training Academy, 1st floor, Mirpur-2, Dhaka. # 9028465