Museums India - Attractions

Located on the Agra-Mumbai Road, Indore Museum houses finest artifacts from the prehistoric to the modern era. A visit to this museum provides oneself with a deep insight on the culture and history of the people of Indore.

The main attraction of this museum is the paramount collection of Parmar dynasty sculptures, which dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. This superb display of antiques consists of coins, arms and armours and beautifully decorated figures in stone.

Museum works on all days except on Mondays and it will be open between 10 AM to 5 PM. The Indore Museum, which is also called as the Central Museum

so i went at 11 am in morning on 22 of September last month.first time travelers please go at 10 am else you are going to miss the whole history of indore

The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum at Dar-Ul-Shifa, on the southern bank of the Musi river in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India has an exquisite collection of priceless articles like Ivory, Marble sculptures etc.

History:

The Salarjung Museum is the third largest museum in India housing the biggest one-man collections of antiques in the world. It is well known throughout India for its prized collections belonging to different civilizations dating back to the 1st century. Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949), former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, spent a substantial amount of his income over thirty five years to make this priceless collection, his life's passion. The collections left behind in his ancestral palace, 'Diwan Deodi' were formerly exhibited there as a private museum which was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951. Old timers believe that the present collection constitutes only half of the original art wealth collected by Salar Jung III. His employees siphoned off part of it, since Salar Jung was a bachelor and depended upon his staff to keep a vigil. Some more art pieces were lost or stolen during the shifting of the museum from Dewan Devdi to the present site. [1] Later in 1968, the museum shifted to its present location at Afzalgunj and is administered by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh as ex-officio chairperson under the Salar Jung Museum Act of 1961.

Collections

Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III The Salarjung Museum is a royal treat to the connoisseurs with a collection of over 43000 art objects and 50000 books and manuscripts. The collections include Indian Art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern Art, European Art, Children Art along with a Founders gallery and a rare manuscript section. Indian Art includes stone sculptures, bronze images, jade carvings, painted textiles, wood carvings, miniature paintings, modern art, ivory carvings, textiles, metal-ware, manuscript, arms & armour etc. Middle Eastern Art contains the collection of carpets, paper (manuscripts), glass, metal-ware, furniture, lacquer etc. from Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt. Collection of Far Eastern Art exhibit porcelain, bronze, enamel, lacquerware, embroidery, painting, wood & inlay work from China, Japan, Tibet, Nepal and Thailand etc. Oil and watercolor paintings form an important part of the European Collection.

Galleries : The museum building in a semicircular shape with 38 galleries, spread on two floors, displays only a part of the original collections. The ground floor has 20 galleries and the first floor has 18 galleries. The exhibits on different subjects are displayed in separate galleries.

Apart from the galleries, there is a reference Library, reading room, publication and education section, chemical conservation lab, sales counter, cafeteria etc. Guides are available at fixed timings free of charge.

Important Exhibits:

There are Aurangzeb's sword, daggers belonging to empress Noor Jehan, emperors Jehangir and Shah Jehan, the turbans and chair of Tippu Sultan, furniture from Egypt, paintings on display. Among the sculptures stands out the world famous statue of Veiled Rebecca,done by G.B. Benzoni, an Italian sculptor, in 1876. Her beautiful face hazily visible through a marble but gossamer veil. Equally captivating is a double-figure wood sculpture. It stands before a mirror and shows the facade of a nonchalant Mephistopheles and the image of a demure Margaretta in the mirror. The eastern section is of equal importance with its wide variety of silk weaving & different art forms like layer wood cutting paintings, porcelain works & many more dating back to almost 2nd century

The Clock

A bewildering variety and array of clocks greets the visitor in the clock room. There are ancient Sandiaers in the form of obelisks to huge and modern clocks of the twentieth century. Others in the range vary from miniature clocks which need a magnifying glass to imbibe their beauty and complexity to stately grandfather clocks from as far away as France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Britain. A visual delight is the musical clock Salar Jung bought from Cook and Kelvy of England. Every hour, a timekeeper emerges from the upper deck of the clock to strike a gong as many times as it is the hour of the day.[4]

The Indian Parliament has declared the museum an Institution of National Importance.

The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00 (except on Fridays).

The Kolkata Indian Museum established long back in 1814 in the Asiatic Society Building was founded by Dr. Nathaniel Wallich, a botanist from Denmark. It is one of the earliest museums established in the world and considered the largest in the country. In 1875, it was shifted to the new building in Italian architectural style designed by Walter B Grawille. Opened to public in 1878, the museum has over 60 galleries under six main sectors of Art, Anthropology, Archaeology, Geology, Industry and Zoology. The museum with 3 floors is spread out over an area of 930 sq.mts. It is an independent institution funded by the Government of India.


Exhibits


: Egyptian Mummy, Buddhist stupa from Bharhut, Buddha's Ashes, Fossil Skeletons of Prehistoric animals, Art Collection, Rare Antiques, Collection of Meteorites etc.
I was came here in Maye month of 2008.I want suggest to first time travelers that ......

How to get there:

Air : Kolkata is well connected to major international & domestic airports. The international Netaji Subhash Airport (Dum Dum Airport) is 20 kms from the city. Most of the domestic airlines have direct services to and from Calcutta-Kolkata to other important cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow, etc.
Rail : Calcutta is served by two railway station, Haora (Howrah) and Sealdah and is connected to major cities all over the country. The tourist railway booking office is on the 1st floor at 6 Fairlie Place near BBD Bagh.
Road : Calcutta is connected by an extensive network of national highways with major cities and towns. Buses generally depart from the Esplanades bus stand area at the northern end of the Maidan near Chowringhee Road. But there are a number of private companies which have their own stands. Buses to and from the South generally use the bus stand near Fort William at Babu Ghat.

Formerly known as The Prince of Wales Museum, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, besides being a mouthful, is a Mumbai landmark situated between the historic areas of Colaba and Fort. Completed in 1914-1915 to commemorate the first visit of King George V to India, the museum was however open to the public only in 1922. Designed by George Wittet and John Begg, who also have designed the G.P.O. (1913) and the Gateway of India(1924) to their credit, this Mumbai museum stands proud in the midst of a beautiful lush garden. The extensive collection includes miniature paintings, decorative arts, sculptures in various media, weaponry and rare pieces from Elephanta and the Indus Valley. Other museums in Mumbai worth visiting are Mani Bhavan (Gandhi Museum), Bhau Daji Lad Museum (Mumbai's oldest), the BEST Transport Museum and FD Alpaiwala Museum.

Founded in 1872, the Bhau Daji Lad Museum has long been the predecessor to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Prince of Wales Museum). Located in Veermata Jeejamata Udyan (Byculla Zoo), the museum was named after Victoria & Albert, and emerged largely as a result of the initiatives taken by one of Mumbai's revered freedom fighters, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad. The irony behind the renaming notwithstanding, the Bhau Daji Lad Museum echoed with history dating back to the British Raj in India, but had few visitors. Silver and copper ware, ivory models, old photographs, clay models, temples made of pith, interesting agricultural articles and other decorative pieces and figurines, reminiscent of various clans and communities, silently rest in peace. Owing to private enterprise initiatives and the Mumbai chapter of INTACH, the museum saw a face lift in 2007, restoring it to its old glory. It's about time more people walked off the beaten path and took notice of this hidden museum.

National Science Centre Museum, situated at Pragati Maidan, is a fascinating place that houses a collection of scientific instruments and models from various countries. It is one of the largest science museums of the country and was established with the prime purpose of developing an interest among school children for science. Inside the museum, the Human Biology Gallery and the Dinosaur Gallery are the most frequented corners. Some other displays include a section on India's contribution in the field of science and technology. The museum holds regular science exhibitions and workshops. Admission is free.

A trip to Delhi would amount to much less if The National Museum were not on your itinerary. Built in 1960, this place stores an endless and great collection of Indian antiquities. The collection is truly fantastic and extraordinary; there are treasures from pre-historic times and from the time of the birth of Indian civilization. There are priceless pieces and art, sculptures from the Indus Valley civilization. That's not all, the place stores rare miniatures, Buddhist and Jain relics and an extensive collection of artifacts from the Chola era. If you are interested in decorative arts; this museum exhibits those too. a certain amount is charged for photography in the museum.

Set amidst a sprawling park, this museum is a must visit, not just for the train buff. A compact but informative indoor museum displays a range of interesting objects, but the main attractions are old steam engines parked outside. The star attraction is the Fairy Queen, made in 1855 and considered to be one of the best preserved steam locomotive engines of her age. The line-up of other old coaches include Prince of Wales Saloon, built in 1875, Maharaja of Mysore Saloon, built in 1899, and the Nilgiri coach, built in 1914 for the the local travelers. Children can take a ride on the toy train, which circles the museum yard. On your way out, don't miss the handsome Fire Engine, built in 1914 for the Nizam of Hyderabad.

This is no ordinary currency museum as it belongs to the Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank, an institution that mints money quite literally! The Reserve Bank of India Monetary Museum takes you through the inception of concept of money in India, it's development and the changes that went about through. The vast collection of coins, notes and other instruments at the museum, from the ancient, medieval, Mughal, colonial, British and free India is surely an unique way of understanding the social and economic conditions of this ancient land. A multimedia presentation for school children or guided tours can also be arranged after booking in advance.

The Indian Air Force Museum welcomes the general public to get an insight into the history of the Indian Air Force. From pictures, mementos, models to actual air crafts, the museum offers glimpses of warfare and recites stories of the force, right from the time they flew for the Royal Flying Corps, during World War I till the recent Kargil War. The museum also exhibits personal weapons and uniforms of the air force personnels. Check website for further details.

National Children's Museum is a wonderful endeavor to make a child aware of the country's rich history and culture, in an interesting and captivating manner. Located in the Bal Bhawan Complex, this museum houses a wide collection of toys, dolls, bronze objects, jewelery, utensils, musical instruments and other items of various eras. It also arranges for special exhibits and workshops for children. The museum houses three galleries, Hamara Bharat, Gaurav Gatha and the Surya or Sun gallery, chronicling India's glorious past. 

Located in the Shilkopur Village of Gurgaon, the Urusvati Museum houses the history of folklore in Northern India. Treasured artifacts that depict famed loved stories grace the walls of this museum and bring to life a forgotten past. The exhibits include precious paintings, sculptures and dioramas depicting the tales of old. The museum allows you to understand the lives of traditional Indian storytellers with various costumes, music instruments, jewelry and pottery that are displayed here. The souvenir shop allows you to carry away little treasures that would remind you of your experience here.

National Philatelic Museum is located within the Dak Bhawan, the headquarters of India's postal service. It displays rare stamps that were in use in the olden times and those that are used today. The National Philatelic Museum also has a collection of international stamps, apart from the Indian ones. It is an ideal destination for those with an interest in philately. For those who want to enrich their personal collection, the museum also offers some on sale. Call for further details.

The Nehru Children's museum is located at Jawaharlal Nehru Road (formerly Chowringhee Road), Nehru Children's Museum is a great entertaining place for the children.it was established in 1972. And it was named after the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Nehru Children's Museum is a major attraction for children.

Set up in 1952, this museum is Mumbai's only community museum. It started out as a showcase for the odds and ends that Alpaiwalla, a Parsi bullion merchant, collected from around the world. This includes material from Parsi scholar Jamshed Unwalla's archaeological digs in Susa in Iran, an ancient astodan to store the bones of the dead, paintings of pre-Zorastrian myths and photos of famous Parsis.