Kolkata’s capacity to straddle its previous and current are obvious throughout the board from its buildings and streets to its monuments, eateries and even its icons. It is however pure that it is a metropolis whose museums are its most cherished keepsakes. The seed of India’s first museum as a devoted establishment that will protect and exhibit relics from the previous was first planted by The Asiatic Society, which later gave delivery to The Indian Museum, the most important and oldest organised museum in the nation. From the sprawling mansion of nineteenth-century retailers to the ancestral homes of historic figures, from the common-or-garden beginnings of the GPO House to state-of-the-art themed museums—town has a repository of historical past preserved in its each nook and nook. If you’re planning to go to Kolkata museums, right here is your information on what to hunt out at each spot.
The 16 best museums in Kolkata
Alipore Jail Museum
The Alipore Jail in Kolkata stands as a testomony to the sacrifices our freedom fighters made in their battle in opposition to British rule in India. The jail was shut down in February 2019 and has since been developed as a heritage site and a museum. “The Alipore Museum’s primary theme is the freedom movement in India, with a special focus on Bengal. In that sense, it’s a unique space, because the museum pays tribute to those same people, who were once incarcerated or hanged here,” says the director of the museum, Jayanta Sengupta. As you stroll by its towering gates, you’ll find patriotic lyrics of Kazi Nazrul Islam inscribed on the wall in your left. The path takes you thru the person cells of Jawaharlal Nehru, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sri Aurobindo, and lots of different freedom fighters. Inside a few of these cells, there are makeshift reveals that eerily replicate the day by day lives of the prisoners- bathing, chatting, studying and protesting in opposition to the whips of the jail guards. Remember to climb the watchtower and finish your go to with the sombre website of the gallows. The museum additionally has a sound and lightweight present in the evenings in Bengali and Hindi.
Netaji Bhawan
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s ancestral three-storeyed home was repurposed right into a biographical museum in 1961 by Netaji Research Bureau, underneath the steering of his nephew, Dr Sisir Kumar Bose. The museum gives guests an perception into Netaji’s lifelong political wrestle by previous relics and photographic or videographic paperwork. On the primary flooring, you’ll be able to see the bed room which Netaji shared along with his father, Janakinath Bose. From the bed room, painted footsteps of Netaji hint the trail outdoors the home that Netaji had adopted throughout The Great Escape of 1941. At that point he had fled from home arrest and had gone to Germany to collect assist for India’s nationalist wrestle. The museum additionally showcases the historic Wanderer Car in which Netaji had been pushed by his nephew in the course of the escape plus a set of uncommon pictures, letters and even Netaji’s garments. A small bookshop on the bottom flooring is price stopping by to try a variety of publications by the Netaji Bureau plus video and audio recordings of Netaji’s speeches.
The Asiatic Society Museum
In 18th-century Bengal, the then Puisne choose of the Old Supreme Court, Sir William Jones advised the thought of a Society that will enquire into the historical past, arts, science, and literature of Asia. After just a few a long time, a Danish doctor and botanist, Nathaniel Wallick provided his private assortment to the Society, proposing the formation of a museum inside the Society. Thus, India’s first museum was born. The Society Museum boasts of an enriched assortment of uncommon manuscripts, maps, lithographs, books, archival paperwork, and archaeological objects. As you enter, the workers will give you some books to acquaint your self with the museum’s huge assortment. Then you may be taken to the museum on a special flooring. Visitors in addition to teachers discover this museum of nice curiosity. Some of the museum’s iconic possessions are the Edict of Asoka in granite from 250 BCE, a Brahma statue in black basalt stone from twelfth CE, Maitryavyakarana manuscript from 940 CE in a mixture of Kutila and Ranjana script, a palm leaf manuscript of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita from 1231 CE, and lots of extra such uncommon gems.
Birla Industrial and Technological Museum
If you assume that this museum is for science nerds, you might not be extra mistaken. The museum was established in 1959 and is run by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. As you step in, you’ll find a big wheel rotating on a pool, ceaselessly watered by an enormous faucet. Upon getting into, go to the constructing in your proper and discover the reveals on the primary flooring: a darkish passage that freezes your shadow, a harmonium that performs a melody if you wave your hand, a soccer flying in the air, and a barely odd machine that rudely accuses you of being a binge smoker or drinker—this exhibit will make you yelp in shock at each twist and switch. The flooring above has a children’s section filled with enjoyable video games and rides and an grownup part with a number of interactive video video games. On the adjoining constructing, you’ll find reveals on the evolution of transport in India that includes early fashions of trains, trams, metro and double-decker buses. There can also be an area museum, biotechnology gallery, tv gallery, arithmetic gallery, electrical energy gallery, and metals gallery devoted to every subject. The museum additionally holds a number of reside reveals on science, 3D movie explainers and knowledgeable demonstrations.
Jorasanko Thakurbari Museum
The Jorasanko Thakurbari is Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in Kolkata. The museum curates every facet of the Nobel Laureate’s life, from his delivery to his demise and his in depth literary afterlife. Upon getting into you’ll come throughout the room the place Thakur breathed his final. You can even go to Thakurbari’s birthing room the place the ladies of the family had been taken to throughout labour. However, upon peering nearer into that room, you’ll find a damaged door encased in glass. A stair goes down behind that door, resulting in the poet’s actual birthing room, which isn’t open to guests because of its fragile state. There is a portrait gallery that options life-size portraits of each notable member of the Thakur household. As you look across the room, you’ll find the eyes of every portrait following you as a result of perspective and mastery. On one other aspect of the constructing, you’ll find devoted galleries on Hungary, China, Japan, the US, and Italy, documenting Tagore’s go to to all these international locations. One of the beautiful issues about this museum is the enduring love for Tagore that exists and one will typically discover guests sitting on the steps and singing Rabindra Sangeet with one another, keenly experiencing the poet’s presence and life inside the halls and the balconies of his house.
Marble Palace
For first-time guests to North Kolkata, this sprawling Nineteenth-century neoclassical mansion is a must-visit and one of many best preserved buildings of its time. The constructing is a throwback to an period when such palatial buildings dotted the slim streets of town’s “Black Town” and mirrored the wealth of its landed gentry in addition to their east-west aesthetics. The Marble Palace was constructed in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali service provider with a penchant for artwork. He constructed his house with 126 several types of marble imported from varied components of the world and embellished it with Corinthian columns, manicured gardens, fountains, statues in addition to conventional Bengali architectural components like a courtyard and a thakur dalan. The house additionally had a non-public menagerie with hornbills, deer, baboons and extra. Mullick’s ardour for amassing artwork lent itself completely to the muse of a museum. Mullick’s descendants proceed to reside in one part of the mansion whereas the main portion of it has been was a museum. Inside, you’ll come throughout Victorian-era sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses, statues of Napoleon, Wellington, and lots of different uncommon collectables. Keep a watch out for the unique work of Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Peter Paul Rubens, Raja Ravi Varma, and lots of different notable artists from India and all over the world.
Indian Museum
Founded in 1814, the Indian Museum was born from The Asiatic Society of Bengal. It was the primary organised museum in India and one of many largest museums in Asia, with over 35 galleries devoted to artwork, geology, and archaeological specimens. As you stroll by the museum’s corridors, you’ll find its partitions lined with statues and sculptures. The archaeological part preserving historic animal, and human specimens is one among its key points of interest. There are galleries devoted to pure historical past with revamped skeletal fashions of dinosaurs and different extinct species. The museum additionally preserves remnants of historic India, together with uncommon manuscripts, rock artwork, remnants of the Amaravati stupa, a Buddhist stupa, Buddha’s relics and different uncommon artefacts. You ought to plan your go to to the museum with three to 4 hours in hand so as to discover all of the galleries. The museum additionally collaborates with non-public galleries like DAG for particular exhibitions and conducts varied packages on historical past, artwork and tradition on its premises.
Victoria Memorial Hall
Victoria Memorial Hall constructed by the British in reminiscence of Queen Victoria has now turn into synonymous with the Kolkata skyline and is each a cultural website and a public area for town. While the monument’s sprawling marble structure and manicured gardens entice vacationers and locals in the tons of, the museum inside the spectacular facade is a well-curated assortment that throws gentle on the British empire in India in addition to Bengal’s superb artwork historical past with over 5,000 work by the stalwarts of the Bengal School of Art together with Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, and Jamini Roy. The Queen’s Gallery homes massive portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert together with works by Frank Salisbury which doc society of the interval and completely different phases of the queen’s life. Don’t miss the world’s largest assortment of nice watercolours and engravings by Thomas and William Daniell in the Durbar Hall. The Biplobi Bharat Gallery is a more moderen part of the museum on the primary flooring which chronicles India’s freedom wrestle from the 18th century to Independence. The museum can also be an area for a number of exhibitions, talks and cultural programmes and it is price following their schedule on their website and timing your go to accordingly.
GPO Museum
Driving round central Kolkata, you’ll find it onerous to overlook the grand facade of the General Post Office. But what you may overlook is the museum nestled in a nook. If you ask round, many would even flip you away saying there isn’t a such museum. Turn to the precise aspect of the constructing and you’ll find a pink construction housing the GPO museum on its floor flooring. It paperwork the historical past of postal companies and the contributions of runners, who delivered letters and cash orders from one place to a different. The museum additionally shows varied sizes of khukris or knives that the runners carried for self-defence in opposition to dacoits. A clay mannequin reveals how runners would even need to face tigers and sometimes lose their lives on their jobs. The museum additionally has a large assortment of stamps and letters. Do not miss the unique signature of Rabindranath Tagore on his Shantiniketan passbook which is among the artefacts on show. You may even discover signatures of CV Raman and oil portraits of many different eminent individuals who had as soon as labored for the postal companies. The museum-in-charge is often current on website and can eagerly present you round and information you thru the reveals.
Nehru Children’s Museum
Last on the record of best museums in Kolkata, the Nehru Children’s Museum has a set of over a thousand dolls displayed throughout 4 flooring of the constructing. Inaugurated in 1972, the museum is a treasure trove of dolls and a terrific place to go to with youngsters. Upon getting into you may discover the workers speeding to modify the followers on and hospitably guiding you thru their galleries. There are dolls from completely different states of India dressed in conventional apparel and are supposed to be an training into the range of the land. Additionally, dolls from 88 international locations in their nationwide attire are supposed to be a window into the world. The foremost attraction right here is the depiction of the Indian epics—Ramayana and Mahabharata—by puppets and miniature fashions. The museum additionally has a gallery devoted to Ganesha idols from all over the world with over 300 statues on show.
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Museum and Art Gallery
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Museum and Art Gallery
Founded on 29 January 1938, the centenary delivery anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the RKM Institute is a cultural hub that pays homage to Bengal’s folks artwork traditions, textile practices, patachitra, previous litho work, terracotta artefacts, ivory work, and preserves a number of treasured manuscripts, sculptures, and cash. The museum is small however has a singular assortment, that includes works by each up to date in addition to previous artists like Nandalal Bose, Jogen Choudhury, Sanatan Dinda, S. Nandagopal, Wasim Kapoor, Paresh Maity, lots of which have been donated by the artists themselves. Don’t miss an elaborate kantha tapestry depicting the lifetime of Swami Vivekananda.
Metcalfe Hall
Metcalfe Hall
The experimental museum housed inside a heritage constructing preserves the wealthy legacy of theatre, music, artwork, and cinema of Bengal. At the doorway, an elaborate alpona paintings welcomes you. A hand-pulled rickshaw stands at a nook the place guests go away handwritten notes. Then you stroll up the steps with hand-drawn posters of previous Kolkata on the partitions. The gallery reveals hint the completely different components of town: ports and docks, previous images of College Street with uncommon books on show, Durga idols in the making options, plus devoted corners for previous Bengali movies, theatres, and musical devices. While the museum makes a commendable effort in its try and protect town’s previous, lots of its shows lack correct description.
The RBI Museum
The RBI Museum
Across two flooring, reveals hint the evolution of cash from the barter system to notice foreign money to digital foreign money. On the primary flooring, you’ll see earlier types of foreign money together with grains, cowrie, matches and salt. On a weighing scale, chances are you’ll measure your weight in gold. Detailed illustrations clarify the early days of banking and the evolution of cash by the centuries. Learn about inflation by pedalling a cycle and determining the worth of a torn observe by urgent a inexperienced button. The museum is filled with fascinating machines and shows explaining complicated financial theories. It is well-maintained and value spending just a few hours exploring.
Vaidya Vithika Museum of Musical Instruments
Vaidya Vithika Museum of Musical Instruments
Designed in collaboration with artists and musicians, the museum preserves uncommon and extinct musical devices from completely different areas and tribal communities of India by showcasing classical musical instruments throughout 4 sections: string, wind, percussion, and stable devices. Each exhibit has an in depth description of the instrument’s origin, the method of constructing and the strategy of enjoying it. They additionally function a picture of the artist enjoying the devices. It is presumably one of many largest and most detailed reveals on classical musical devices in India.
Aircraft Museum
Aircraft Museum
The Aircraft Museum in New Town is India’s second aviation museum. The open-air museum occupies an enormous premise with clear paths amongst lush inexperienced lawns and showcases fashions of assorted plane designs with detailed illustrations and descriptions explaining every half. There can also be a kids’s part which permits youngsters to get inside aircrafts and revel in enjoyable rides. The workers is pleasant and can information you thru the reveals.
Mother’s Wax Museum
Mother’s Wax Museum
Modelled after Madame Tussauds, Mother’s Wax Museum in New Town is the primary wax museum in India. Situated on the fifth and sixth flooring of New Town’s Financial Centre, the galleries show life-sized wax collectible figurines of eminent personalities from India’s freedom wrestle, music, sports activities, Bollywood, Hollywood and so forth. A statue of Gandhi stands on the entrance. As you stroll by, you’ll find a bit of Indian music with Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar singing a duet whereas Manna Dey performs the harmonium. Virat Kohli wields his bat whereas international sports activities stars like Messi and Maradona will be seen in motion. The museum additionally has a haunted home which is unquestionably not meant for the faint-hearted.
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