10 Must Visit Museums In India

Indian Museum, Kolkata, West BengalEstablished in 1814, it is India’s oldest museum. It houses rare antiques, fossils, Mughal paintings, Egyptian mummies, and Buddhist relics across six cultural and scientific sections.Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, MaharashtraFormerly Prince of Wales Museum, this Indo-Saracenic building displays art, archaeology, and natural history collections, including miniature paintings, weaponry, and artefacts from the Indus Valley civilisation.Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, TelanganaOne of the largest one-man collections in the world, it exhibits Persian carpets, European clocks, Japanese ivory, and the famous marble sculpture, Veiled Rebecca, among over 40,000 artefacts.Government Museum, Chennai, Tamil NaduAlso known as Madras Museum, it’s famed for South Indian bronzes, Amaravati sculptures, and a vast numismatic collection. Established in 1851, it’s the second oldest museum in India.National Museum, New DelhiOpened in 1949, the museum displays over 2,00,000 items including the Harappan Dancing Girl, Mughal manuscripts, and Buddhist relics from Piprahwa, tracing Indian history across millennia.Shankar’s International Dolls Museum, New DelhiFounded in 1965 by K. Shankar Pillai, it displays over 6,500 dolls from 85 countries, including a large selection of Indian dolls in traditional costumes and regional attire.City Palace Museum, Udaipur, RajasthanHoused in the iconic City Palace complex, the museum showcases Mewar royal heritage—armoury, paintings, royal costumes, and artefacts reflecting the opulence of the Rajput rulers.Goa State Museum, Panaji, GoaThis museum documents Goa’s cultural and religious history with over 8,000 artefacts including Hindu and Christian sculptures, colonial antiques, and manuscripts in Devanagari, Roman, and Persian scripts.Sundarbans Interpretation Centre, Sajnekhali, West BengalLocated within the Sundarbans Reserve, this museum offers ecological insight into mangrove biodiversity, Royal Bengal tigers, crocodiles, and conservation efforts through educational displays and dioramas.Napier Museum, Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaBuilt in 1855 in Indo-Saracenic style, it houses Kerala’s rich history—bronzes, wood carvings, and traditional musical instruments—alongside natural history exhibits in a landscaped heritage complex.Top 10 Art Galleries In IndiaRead More