The Indian Museum of Kolkata claims to be India's largest and the oldest museum in the world. Demonstrations ranging from general knowledge to anthropology and science have been demonstrated in the Indian Museum Kolkata. It lays special emphasis on the British Raj. Besides, it also features Tibetan, Burmese and Mughal performances.
If you want to take a closer look at the Egyptian mummies, dinosaurs or fossilized skeletons, then you should go to the Magical Museum of Kolkata, founded by the Asian Society of Bengal, the Indian Museum is the oldest and largest multi-purpose museum in the Asia-Pacific of the whole world. To provide national security to man-made and natural objects, a museum was envisaged. The objects stored in the Indian Museum Kolkata are so amazing that the locals call it "magic house" or magic house. In 1814, this incredible museum was built in Park Street, Kolkata.
Exclusive Collection of Indian Museum
The Indian Museum has become the largest storehouse in the country with over 100,000 collections of antiques and artefacts. The Indian Museum has the most impressive collection of archaeological, geographical and botanical objects. Stunning objects such as relics of the Harappan civilization, meteorites, Buddha's ashes, Shah Jahan's emerald cup, and even human embryos can be seen in the gallery of the Indian Museum. Italian architecture was used to construct the magnificent structure of the Indian Museum. The Indian Museum Kolkata has six departments - Art, Archeology, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Economic Botany and 60 such exhibitions.
Indian museum also has some of the exclusive collections of coins and sculptures that are dated from as far as the second century AD. Sculptures from the Gandhara School of Art and architectural relating to the Bodhgaya too are displayed in separate galleries of the Indian Museum Kolkata. The museum is commonly known as ‘Jaadu Ghar’.
Architecture of Indian Museum
The architecture of the Indian Museum is all in its splendour and is standing strong even today. The design of the Indian Museum Kolkata was conceptualized by Walter Granville who was a famous architect of the Victorian era. He has also designed some of the other landmarks in Kolkata.
The construction of the museum was finished in the year 1875, about INR 1, 40,000. Was the total cost of the construction at that time. The Indian Museum Kolkata is a three-floored building and each floor is spread across an area of 930 square meters.
Inside the Indian Museum Kolkata, there is a library which consists of a large collection of 50,000 books and journals including a museum shop where children’s books, Art Albums, photographs and Picture Postcards are sold.
Book shops and libraries are also available for those interested in history. The Indian Museum is recognised as a national institution in the Constitution of India. Indian Museum Kolkata offers distinctive evidence of Indian culture and heritage. The Indian Museum is a perfect place to get to know the rich history of our country.
How to reach Indian Museum
Indian Museum is located in the Park Street area of Kolkata and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. People can hire a taxi, catch a bus, or take an auto-rickshaw to reach the museum. The nearest metro station is the Maidan Metro station which is located at just 2 km from the museum.
Best time to visit the Indian Museum
The best time to visit the Indian Museum is between March and November, during these months the Museum timings are 10 AM to 5 PM. And then in the months of December and February, the timings are 10 AM to 4:30 PM. The Indian Museum Kolkata remains closed on Mondays and on all public holidays.
Places to visit near Indian Museum
Indian Museum is one of the famous places to visit in Kolkata and is located in the vicinity of several tourist attractions. The places to visit near the Indian Museum are Howrah Bridge, Kalighat Temple, Marble Palace, Shaheed Minar, Belur Math Shrine, etc. These are the must-visit places during the Kolkata trip.
Indian Museum Timings:10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Monday Closed)
Indian Museum Entry Fees:INR 10 for Indian citizen and INR 150 for foreign nationals
