India, March 10 -- A visit to a museum usually brings to mind a building filled with rare artefacts and historical objects. However, the Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village Museum offers a very different experience. Instead of display cases and galleries, the museum features life-size exhibits, including traditional houses and shrines that transport visitors back in time. (Also read: Step inside 75-year-old British bungalow in Kerala, set amidst a sprawling 2,700-acre plantation of lush greenery )

Located in the education hub of Manipal in Udupi district, the heritage village was founded by Vijayanath Shenoy (1934-2017). Spread across nearly seven acres on Manipal-Alevoor Road, about a kilometre from Tiger Circle, the open-air museum is consid...