Kolkata is always known for its rich heritage, culture and traditions and the city knows how to preserve them too. And if we are talking about preservation then how can we not talk about the Indian Museum Kolkata, right? This is one of the oldest as well as one of the largest museums with a great collection of artefacts. With multiple sections and different galleries you will find exhibits here of all types. From archeological exhibits to geological exhibits as well as fossils to even Egyptian Mummies, the collection is huge. You cannot understand how rich the museum is only by looking at the Indian Museum photos. You certainly need to visit the Indian Museum in Kolkata to understand about this location.
Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Kolkata Indian Museum. This will be a helpful article for you if you are trying to plan a visit to this location. Definitely a visit to this museum will be extremely educational and enriching. So if you are in Kolkata then visiting this museum should be a must for you.
Indian Museum Kolkata
Location: 27, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, New Market Area, Dharamtala, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal
Timings: The Indian Museum timing is from 10 am to 6:30 pm on all days from Tuesday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the timing is from 10 am to 8 pm. Monday is closed
Entry fee: The Indian Museum tickets for Indian adults are Rs. 50 per person and Rs. 20 per person for children above the age of 5 years. For Foreigners the ticket price is Rs. 500. There is an additional charge for camera here which is Rs. 50 for Smart Phone, Rs. 100 for Still Camera, Rs. 2000 for small Video Camera and Rs. 5000 for Video Camera with Stand
How to Reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the museum is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. From the airport the museum is located 17 km away and you can reach there in about 54 minutes.
By train
While travelling in a train the nearest railway station to reach the museum is the Sealdah Railway station. From the Sealdah station the museum is 3.3 km away and you can reach there in about 16 minutes. Another major railway station to reach this museum is the Howrah Railway Station. From Howrah station the Indian Museum Kolkata is located at a distance of 5 km and you can reach there in about 24 minutes. From both the stations you can take a cab or a yellow taxi to reach the museum conveniently. Or else you can also take the city buses to reach there as well.
By road
If you are travelling by road then you will get buses to reach the museum. There are many buses that you can opt for and the nearest bus stop is the Lindsay Street Bus Stop. From there the museum is only a 1 minutes walking distance. This museum is located between Sudder Street and Lindsay Street. Also you can take a cab or hire a yellow taxi as well to reach here from various locations conveniently. Or else you can also take your own vehicle to reach the Indian Museum Kolkata also.
By metro
The Park Street Metro Station is the nearest metro Station to reach the museum and you can easily walk up to the museum from there in about 5-6 minutes. From the metro station the Indian Museum is located only 1.7 km away.
Overview of Indian Museum
The Indian Museum Kolkata is undoubtedly one of the richest and most educational locations that you can visit in the city. It is the ninth oldest museum in the whole world and along with that it is also the largest museum in India. The collection of this museum is something that makes it even more important. From the finest collection of antiques, armours, artefacts, fossils, Egyptian mummies, paintings there is a lot to explore here. Another major attraction here is also the great collection of coins here as well. Moreover the museum houses some sculptures that date back to the 2nd Century AD.
Popular as the Jaadu Ghar, this museum is one of the richest when it comes to variety. There are separate galleries here that exhibit the various artefacts here. In total there are 35 galleries here which are divided into different categories. For a history buff and for people who love learning experiences visiting here can be extremely exciting. It will also be a great option to visit with your children as well who would get to learn and explore a lot here. The foundation stone of this museum was laid back in 1814. And in 2014 the museum celebrated the bicentennial anniversary.
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History of Indian Museum
Back in 1794 the conceptualization of creating a museum like the Indian Museum Kolkata took place. The purpose of creating a museum like this was to propagate and promote and add more value to the cultural value of the city. The Asiatic Society of Bengal first proposed the idea of creating this museum in 1784. However the plan could be executed only after the society members choose a suitable place for the museum in 1808. Furthermore in 1814 Dr. Nathaniel Wallich established the museum. Later he also suggested that the museum should have different sections like, archeological, ethnological, zoological and geological. Soon after its formation the museum started gaining popularity. Also various donors from different parts of the world volunteered to donate items for the collection in the museum. Both Indian as well as European donors gifted various items to make the collection richer.
The current or the present day building was opened in 1878 with only two galleries though. Later the authorities transformed the museum with multiple galleries. The Archaeological Gallery, Bird Gallery are in the new building. In 1916 the Zoological and Anthropological sections in the museum led to the formation of the Zoological Survey of India. Later in 1945 this again led to the formation of the Anthropological Survey of India. At first the name of the museum was Asiatic Society Museum. Later the museum came to be known as the Imperial Museum. But finally the museum got its final name as the Indian Museum and is currently under the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India.
Architecture of Indian Museum
The current building of the museum is an architectural marvel and is an important landmark in the city. Famous architect of the Victorian period Walter Granvile designed the structure of this building. In 1875 the work of the Indian Museum Kolkata was completed. Moreover the total cost of the construction was Rs. 1,40, 000. With three floors the building spreads across an area of 930 sq meters. At present there are 60 galleries here divided into 6 different sections. Also the museum houses a library with a vast collection of 50,000 books and journals. Along with that there is a shop here that sells children’s books, picture postcards, photographs, art albums and a lot more.
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Collection and Galleries of Indian Museum
Art Section
There are various galleries under the art section that have paintings from around the world like Decorative Art and Textile Gallery, Bengal Painting Gallery, South East Asian Gallery.
Archeological Section
In the Archeological Section of the museum you will find galleries like Gandhara Gallery, Bharhut Gallery, Pre and Proto Historic Gallery, Main Entrance Gallery, Minor Art Gallery, Bronze Gallery, Long Archeology Gallery, Egyptian Gallery, Coin Gallery.
Anthropology Section
This section has Mask Gallery, Palaeo-Anthropology Gallery, Cultural Anthropology Gallery, and Musical Instruments Gallery.
Botany Section
In this section you will get an extensive insight of the varied flora like medicinal produce, timber, food products, vegetable fibres, oil, various crops etc.
Zoology Section
There are various sections here also like the Amphibian and Reptile Gallery, Fish Gallery, Bird Gallery, Mammal Gallery and also Ecology Gallery.
Geology Section
This is also another important section here and there are various galleries here. These are Rock and Mineral Gallery, Siwalik Gallery, Invertebrate Fossil Gallery, Gem Section, Meteorite Gallery.
Important and Popular Galleries at Indian Museum
Egypt Gallery
The Egypt Gallery in this museum is one of the major attractions here. And what makes this gallery so attractive and interesting is the Indian Museum Kolkata Mummy here. There is a 4000 year old Egyptian mummy here along with other exhibits. Moreover you can get a lot of insight about Egyptian culture also from looking at the various antiques here.
Bharhut Gallery
There is a huge collection of archeological remains here that belongs to a place called Bharhut located in Madhya Pradesh. One of the major attractions here is the remains of railings from Bodhgaya. It is believed that these railings were encircling the same Bodhi Tree where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Also there are many other excavated ruins here belonging to the Sunga dynasty.
Gandhara Gallery
This gallery exhibits various sculptures that represent the life of Lord Buddha. Other than that there are some artworks, excavated remains etc here also.
Archeology Gallery
This is also an important and interesting gallery in the museum. You will find a lot of ancient sculptures here also. Some of these sculptures are as old as belonging from the 2nd century CE. Also there are sculptures from various periods like Pala Sena, Gupta, Kushana, Hoysala, Vijayanagara, Pallava, Chola etc. Moreover there are some sculptures from Java that belong to Buddhist or Brahminical times.
Bronze Gallery
This gallery exhibits metal images that date back to 8th to 14th Century CE.
Mask Gallery
This is one of the newest galleries which opened in 2016. Here you will find various masks used during tribal festivals from across the world.
Mammal Gallery
Some of the exhibits of the mammal gallery are more than 100 years old. Currently the Gallery is under the Zoology Section and the Zoological Survey of India operates this section for the conservation process.
Textile Gallery
This is another important gallery here that exhibits various fabrics from the Indian subcontinent. The collection includes Banarasi Sarees to Kashmiri Shawls, Jamdani Saree from Dhaka, Kantha Silk from West Bengal, Phulkari Chadars from Punjab and more.
Bird Gallery
Here you will find different specimens of birds including a lot of migratory birds as well. From the ecosystem to their behavioural and survival pattern you can learn about a lot of things here. Also just next to the Bird Gallery you will also find an insect gallery here.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Indian Museum Kolkata. You surely need to pay a visit to this museum in Kolkata otherwise you will miss out on a lot. Let me know if this article is helpful for you in planning a trip to Kolkata Indian Museum.
