Indian Museums

It may seem strange to you but it's true that museums are an alien concept to this country although it has such a plethora of them. These were, in fact, the British, who introduced the notion of a museum to India. They had their great love for preserving and displaying things. The first museum established in India is Indian Museum in Kolkata. It houses the wonderful medieval Hindu sculptures, besides a great collection of early Buddhist art. There are around 500 different kinds of museums in India. Almost all of them have a special charm to them, but the ones that are located in places like Khajuraho and Sanchi, have a really special feel to them. The reason is that they are located in the places which have been declared as World Heritage Sites.


National Museum, Delhi
Indus Valley gallery in National Museum in Delhi houses many antiquities including terracotta toys, pots, jewelry, bronze and copper implements and sculptures, that were excavated from the ancient sites of Mohenjodaro and Harappa. When you are in Delhi, you must take into account the quaint Crafts Museum Complex. It is a wonderful oasis of mud huts which have painted walls and thatched roofs, courtyards and terracotta houses. All this recreates the village life and exhibits the range of Indian crafts.


Allahabad Museum, Allahabad
For any die-hard archaeologist, the trip to India is not complete without including the Allahabad Museum. It is famous for its collection of Bharhut, Bhumara and Jamsot sculptures. The terracotta from Kausambi, Bhita, Jhusi, Patliputra, Sarnath, Rajghat and Ahichhatra is also there in the museum. The museum also houses rare paraphernalia and family heirlooms of the Nehrus, including manuscripts of "An Autobiography" by Jawaharlal Nehru and a large volume of correspondence with other great national leaders. Some other collections in the museum are the paintings of Bengal School of Painters including Jatin Roy, Nandlal Bose, Abanindranath Tagore, Asit Kumar Haldar and Kshintindranath Mazumdar.


Museums in Rajasthan
The itinerant visitor's paradise, that is Rajasthan, is also home to some of the well-stocked museums. These unique and colourful museums reflect the spectacular forts, palaces and intricately carved temples of colourful tribes, besides unique dance and music traditions of this place. It has a large network of museums scattered in large and small towns. These archaeological sites and recently opened museums and art galleries are located near historical spots help to preserve this great heritage for posterity. Government Museum in Ajmer is located amidst the old city and in the heart of beautiful fort and palace which was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1570.
Government Museum in Alwar sets in the old City Palace and it has a truly unique collection of arms, Bidri work, musical instruments, lacquered and ivory work. Stuffed animals, beautiful brass and pottery works from Jaipur, Multan, Bengal and Ceylon, besides miniature paintings and Persian and Sanskrit manuscripts are also preserved here. You also won't want to miss Shilp Gram, if you are travelling through Rajasthan. Located on Fateh Sagar, 6 km from City Palace in Udaipur, Shilp Gram is essentially a village created with 26 replica huts. The museum has a large collection of folk art which also gives a glimpse of tribal Rajasthan.


Museums in South India
A very large number of memorable museums are located in South India. And if you want to experience a truly different experience, you should take a trip to Dakshina Chitra. It's set on Coromandel coast overlooking Bay of Bengal in the state of Tamil Nadu, 21 km south of Chennai. This is a living, breathing and cross-cultural museum which has architecture, life-styles, crafts, performing arts, even food and music of all southern states. This center is located on the road to famous 7th century seaport town of Pallava kings, Mammalapuram, which is a UNESCO world heritage site.


Sarnath Museum
Sarnath Museum is established by the Archaeological Survey of India as a site Museum at Sarnath. This place houses a rich collection of sculptures, artifacts and edifices. Finest specimens of Buddhist art and other important remains have been housed at the museum. Among the things a beautiful sculpture of the Buddha from the fifth century is the real crowd puller. You will found there many images of Hindu Gods dating from the 9th to 12th centuries.


Indian Museum, Kolkata
One of the oldest museums in Asia, the Indian Museum of Kolkata has something to offer everyone. Artists, painters, poets, paleontologists, student or men of science -this ancient place caters every quest of everyone. This place was founded in 1814. Devote your entire day to enjoy fossils, coins, stones, Gandhara art, meteors and much more. 4,000-year-old mummy and is an urn said to contain the Buddha's ashes are the one of the major highlights of this museum.