Sometimes a museum, in a short two hours, or so, can tell you more about a state or country than you can hope to absorb crisscrossing it over a few days.
India has around 1,200 musuems, according to a 2023 report by the Ministry of Culture, in nearly every state and union territory.
For anyone wishing to explore the art and heritage of India, our museums offer a info-rich window into its cultural tapestry, says Mayur Sanap, while compiling his list of the 11 most intriguing desi musuems.
Indian Museum, Kolkata
Founded in 1814, it was once grandly called the Imperial Musuem of Calcutta by the British, who built it and is the oldest 'modern' musuem in the country. It has a wonderful collection of 10,000 exhibits. Must see: The Egyptian mummy and railings plus gateways stripped from Bharhut's stupa, Madhya Pradesh.
Railway Museum, Mysuru
Established in 1979 by the Indian Railways, find here an engrossing partly open-air display of vintage locomotives, cabins, various machines &d tools as well as a free toy train ride for its visitors! Must-see: The 1899 Maharani saloon carriage equipped with a kitchen, dining car, royal toilet, part of a 3-carriage train of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysore.
Kerala Folklore Museum, Kochi
As the name suggests, the Thaliath family-run Kerala Folklore Museum is a peek into folk art, crafts and the state's history. Before viewing the 5,000 artefact collection that beautifully showcase sculpture, objets d'art, instruments, antiques, catalogued by period, admire its exterior crafted from 25 traditional buildings/homes of Kerala. Must-see: The jewellery.
Food Museum, Thanjavur
The youngest museum on this list, Thanjavur’s newest tourist attraction was set up in association with the Food Corporation of India (the FCI began in Thanjavur) and aims to educate its visitors about food security and various agricultural practices in India. Must-see: The ration shop.
Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur
Besides its stunning architectural beauty, the 1887-established Jaipur museum offers a dazzling peek into 19,000 pieces of sculpture, art, craft, pottery alongside its famed Egyptian gallery with a mummy. Once upon a time Fridays were reserved for women (in purdah). Must-see: 17th century Persian garden carpet.
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
A Hyderabad landmark, it is the third largest museum in India, boasting an amazing aseemblage of rare articles, paintings, antiques, objects once owned by the immensely wealthy Salar Jung royal family. Must-see: Disappointing News by Raja Ravi Varma, Giovanni Maria Benzoni's marble The Veiled Rebecca and the clocks.
Indian Music Experience Museum, Bengaluru
Established in 2019, it is one of its kind and delves into India's rich musical heritage and diversity through various interactive exhibits. Must-see: The corner with all the Indian instruments on the wall.
The Partition Museum, Amritsar
Located in the Town Hall area of Amritsar, it tells the tale of the Partition that carved undivided India into two independent nations. The museum houses various documents and stories of those who witnessed this sad chapter of the history. Must-see: The jail cell.
National Museum, New Delhi
With 200,000 pieces representing India’s history and culture, a trip here is about getting to know the India Story: Must-see: Post Partition, part of the Lahore Museum's Mohenjodaro collection came to Delhi.
Houses of Goa Museum, Torda
This cutesy museum, with a triangular shape, looking like a ship built on a traffic island, is solely dedicated to Goan houses and one can quickly understand Goan architecture that blends Indian and Portuguese styles. Must-see: Artefacts from Goan homes
RBI Monetary Museum, Mumbai
Why wouldn't Indian India's financial capital have a money museum?. Run by the the Reserve Bank of India it has an array of coins, paper money and more. It also enlightens you about the evolution of money and various payments systems in India. Must-see: The coins, of course!