THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Look at the mischief a mere key can do. The Napier Museum, one of the must-sees for any visitor to the capital city, lay shut for two whole days, all thanks to a key to the front door which ‘struck work.’ Different locksmiths wrestled with the lock and key for hours all through Friday and Saturday, and finally managed to get it open only by 5 p.m. on Saturday and that too after getting the key ground back to shape.The key, however, is not a mere key, according to Museum officials. “It’s a complicated key, and opening the door with it involves a very complicated process,” said Museum superintendent Manjula. “You have to twist it four times in the lock and in four separate directions before the door is opened.”The Museum was last locked using the key on Thursday evening. On Friday morning, much to their shock, the Museum officials found that the door would not open. The locksmiths who came first admitted defeat a few hours later. Consequently, the door remained shut to visitors and the staff on Friday. The lock and key offered stiff resistance on Saturday also.“Then the Padmanabhaswamy Temple gave us the number of another locksmith. But they also could not open it. The key, which is a very old one, had been worn out from use. So we took it to a blacksmith who ground it back to shape,” the Museum superintendent said.The construction of the Napier Museum was completed in 1880. Since there is no spare key, the Museum officials are desperate. They do not rule out a repeat performance by the lock and key. “We will be holding a high-level meeting of officials to decide on what to do about it,” the superintendent said.
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