Museums in India

There are many museums that preserve India's great heritage and rich culture. The most prominent of them is the Indian Museum in Kolkata. This is the oldest and largest museum in India and was built in 1814. It has attracted historians and art lovers, inspiring the opening of new museums in the country. Currently, there are more than four hundred museums in India.

Indian Museum

The Indian Museum in Kolkata is the largest museum not only in the Indian subcontinent but also in the Asia Pacific region. The Indian Museum operates under the Asiatic Society. The Asiatic Society was founded in Kolkata in 1784. Sir. William Jones, who dedicated his life to serving India, took the helm of the formation of the society. It was he who proposed the idea of ​​building a museum. In 1808, the society started its initial work in a deserted area of ​​Park Street, which was under the control of the government. Six years later, the museum underwent major changes. It was led by the Danish botanist Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. Nathaniel, who was serving in Serampore Jail, was brought by the government to build the museum. He also submitted a proposal to the Asiatic Society. The Indian Museum slowly started to rise after the Asiatic Society gave the green signal to that proposal. The Indian Museum came into existence on February 2, 1814, with the reputation of being the first museum in India. Many interesting, valuable and historically important objects were brought to the museum from different parts of the country. In 1816, 27 European countries gave a large gift of 174 objects for the museum. Many valuable objects flowed into the museum as gifts from India. In 1837, the government decided to make the museum a national museum. The museum started functioning from 1840. The museum was initially known as the Asiatic Museum. Later, it was changed to the Imperial Museum. It was only after India gained independence that it got the name Indian Museum. Today, the museum functions in the departments of Art, Archaeology and Anthropology. Along with that, the museum also provides eight ancillary services. These are preservation, publication, photography, presentation, modeling, education, and library. The Indian Museum has its own medical unit. Today, the Indian Museum functions under the Union Ministry of Culture. About Ten thousand tourists are visiting the museum every day.

National Museum

The National Museum is one of the largest museums in India. This museum, was built in 1949 at Janpath in Delhi. This museum is a good place to see the coaches of the trains used by the kings who ruled India. The National Museum is a treasure trove of many valuable items. The museum also has jewelry, paintings, weapons, and Manusmriti. In another part of the museum, there is a special section for Buddhists. There is a large statue of Lord Buddha installed there. It is believed that it was built by Emperor Ashoka.

Government Museum in Chennai

The Government Museum is famous as the Madras Museum. It is located in Egmore, Chennai. Built in 1851, this museum exhibits objects related to geology, zoology, anthropology, and botany. Since it is located in South India, this museum highlights the cultures of this place more. The relics of the Chalukyas, Cholas, etc. and some of the most important objects of the Vijayanagara Empire are kept in the museum. A special section has also been prepared in the museum for children. The library is the main feature of the museum. Many ancient books that remind us of the past are kept in the library of the Government Museum.

Shankar's International Dolls Museum

Who doesn't love dolls? How about a large building full of dolls? That's what the Shankar International Dolls Museum in Delhi makes possible. Dolls from all over the world are on display in this museum. Dolls from countries like New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States are divided into one section. The second section houses dolls collected from the Middle East, India, Asian countries, and African countries. The dolls are kept in glass cases. Many of them are many years old. There are also dolls representing different cultures here. Dolls representing Indian dance forms, dolls in various roles of the bride and groom are just a few of them.

Salar Jung Museum

Salar Jung is a museum in Hyderabad, the land of the Nizams. This museum offers a very different view for the tourists. Paintings, clothes, metal architectural sculptures, clocks, carvings, etc. are the main ones. Most of them are brought from foreign countries. The objects displayed in the museum are mostly from countries like China, North America, Egypt, Nepal, Europe, and Myanmar. The museum also has many works of art that reflect India's heritage. The museum is open every day except Friday.

National Rail Museum

The National Rail Museum is located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Around 100 trains of various designs are on display here. The park is spread over an area of ​​10 acres. There is a heritage train service for tourists to take a tour of the entire place. The museum also has an exhibition of old furniture, engines, bogies, working models, historical photos, and signaling equipment. The museum is open from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm every day except Monday.

Calico Museum

Calico Museum is one of the attractions of Ahmedabad city. The museum was started in 1949 by Gautam Sarabhai and his sister Gira Sarabhai. This is a special museum dedicated exclusively to textiles. Even very ancient fabrics are on display here. The museum also brings the glory of Indian silk to the tourists without diminishing it. The clothes worn by kings when India was under the Mughal Empire and the clothes used during the British era are on display in the Calico Museum. The museum also has a valuable collection of various household items and objects used in ancient India.

Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum shows how rich India's art scene has been since ancient times. Most of the artworks of the 19th century are exhibited in this museum. The museum was opened to tourists on May 2, 1872. At that time, it was called the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum is located in Rani Bagh, Mumbai. The museum also exhibits very old photographs, clay figurines, maps, and textiles.

Napier Museum

Napier Museum is one of the most prestigious museums in Kerala. Located in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, this museum was established in 1855. In 1874, its old building was demolished and the foundation of the new building was laid. The new building is named after Lord Napier, who was the Governor of the Madras Government from 1866 to 1872. The museum was designed by an architect named Robert Kissom. This museum has a large collection of historical artifacts, bronze statues, and jewelry. A large chariot from ancient times and ivory carvings can also be seen here. The Sree Chitra Art Gallery is also located inside the museum. Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and Nicholas Roerich are exhibited here. Paintings from the Mughal era are also exhibited. The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is also located in its vicinity.

Motorcycle Museum

Vintage car museums are now becoming more and more common. But a car enthusiast named S.K. Prabhu has created a museum exclusively for vintage motorcycles. He has started a museum called the Legend Motorcycle Museum in Pulakeshi Nagar, near Bengaluru. More than twenty motorcycles, including motorcycles from the Second World War, are on display here.

Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park

Spread over an area of ​​about 400 hectares on the banks of the Sabarmati River, Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park is a popular tourist destination. It is the only dinosaur museum in India. The Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park is managed by the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation. Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park is also known as the Jurassic Park of India.

Island Museum

Nagarjunakonda, a part of Nalgonda district in Telangana, is famous as a Buddhist center. This island-like place is located very close to Nagarjuna Sagar. There is a museum here that displays things related to Buddhism. It is known as the Island Museum.

Submarine Museum

Asia's only submarine museum is located at Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam. The museum is known as Smritika. The Russian submarine INS Kursura was converted into a museum in 2001. Many tourists come to see this museum every day.

Toilet Museum

When you hear the name, you may be curious and laugh along with it. But there is such a museum. It is in Delhi. The name of this museum is Sulabh International Museum of Toilets. When we reach this museum, we will understand what types of toilets were used in the past. Similarly, various types of sanitary equipment are displayed here.

Arna Jharna Museum

This is an open museum showcasing the cultures of Rajasthan. The name of this desert museum is Arna Jharna. Unlike other museums, this museum is not housed in a building. This museum is located 23 km from Jodhpur, near the Arneshwar Temple.

Wax Museum

Madame Tussauds Hollywood in Delhi is the 24th museum of the world-famous wax museum 'Madame Tussauds'. It is located on the second floor of the Regal Cinema in New Delhi. Today, it has become one of the busiest places in Delhi. The attractions here are mostly attracted by children. The biggest attraction here is that you can take photos with the lifelike wax statues of film stars.

Gandhi Museum

The National Gandhi Museum in Delhi is a museum built after Gandhiji's assassination for those interested in learning more about him. It is also the largest Gandhi museum in India. It is located at Rajghat.

Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum

The Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum was built in 2016 to celebrate the completion of 88 years of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The museum has a collection of the history of Rashtrapati Bhavan, built by the British, and the history, lives, and journeys of independence of the Viceroys who lived there until independence and the Presidents who later ruled India. The museum is located near the heritage building of Rashtrapati Bhavan. An art gallery has also been set up alongside it. The museum has the Kumarakom Kettuvallam and the memories of Alphonsamma, which make Malayalis proud. Portraits and statues of the Presidents of India are displayed in the museum.

National Museum of Indian Cinema

India's first film museum is located at the headquarters of the Films Division in Mumbai. The construction of the museum was supervised by a committee headed by Shyam Benegal. The museum is located in the Gulshan Mahal at the headquarters of the Films Division in Mumbai and in the old demo studio of the Films Division. The film museum, modeled after the Museum of Moving Images in New York and the London Film Museum, is the first  large film museum in Asia. The construction cost is Rs 140 crore. The museum is built by an advisory committee headed by Shyam Benegal and a museum restoration committee headed by Prasoon Joshi. The first hall of the museum depicts the history of Indian cinema. It contains a replica of the Lumiere brothers' film screening at the Watson Hotel in Mumbai, which shows the history of the development of cinema.