Museums In Delhi

Delhi is a beautiful, appealing and a dynamic city, where the historical past melds with the contemporary culture through its mystifying monuments and rich traditions. Since early historic times, Delhi has been the hub of power, wealth and majesticity, where citadels of emperors rose and fell, where many a kingdom came, prospered and then disappeared among the old ruins, leaving behind a majestic picture of the city’s imperial past. Delhi’s rich tradition, wonderful history, Mughal architecture, galleries, and museums are a testimony to its glorious imperial history. The historical museums of Delhi are, in fact, one of the most crowing manifestations of its historical precedent. The museums are not just chock-a-block with historical relevance, but have served as a tourist hotspot and have been a source of educational inspiration as well. These museums are intriguing for any visitors who are curious to know about the culture, heritage and the history of Delhi. A visit to the museums in Delhi will leave you high on its history, tradition, art, culture and more. So go ahead and explore.

Delhi Museums

Crafts Museums
Crafts Museum of Delhi, which was established in the year 1956, is situated on Bhairon Marg near Pragati Maidan and is fondly depicted as the house of antiquity and curiosity. This museum was originally established as a center for the artisans to learn the artistry of preserving traditional art. Soon the museum became a hub of exhibition for the artisans. Crafts Museum displays rich handicrafts ranging from tribal to rural and more. The museum has several galleries like textile and popular culture that adds to its appeal. What’s more, there are crafts shop inside the museum where you can buy books, ornaments, shawls and other items. You can explore this museum any day between 10 am and 5 pm except on Mondays, when the museum is closed.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, which is located at Safdarjung Road, near Safdarjung Tomb, was once the residence of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was converted into a national memorial museum after her assassination on October 31, 1984. This museum upholds the memory of late Indira Gandhi and displays her personal belongings and photographs of her life, right from her childhood days to her later life. The museum also holds the memorable assets of her son Rajeev Gandhi including his photographs and the burnt clothes during his assassination in 1991. The museum is open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday between 9.30 am to 4.45 pm.

National Museum
The National Museum at Janpath is the largest museum in Delhi. The blue print of the museum was prepared by Gwyer Committee and was set up by the Indian government in 1946. Former Governor General of India, Shri R.C. Rajagopalachari, formally inaugurated the museum on 15 August 1949. The three floors of the museum exhibit the rich Indian history and culture. The display of the museum consists of famous dancing girl sculpture from Mohenjodaro, the paintings of Moghul period, statues of Maurya dynasty, sculptures of Sir Aurel Stein's collection, pre-historic jewelry and more. You can visit the museum on any day between 10 am and 5 pm except for Mondays.

Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Delhi at Purana Qila of the Red Fort preserves the golden traditions and glory of the Mughal era. This Museum was established in 1911, with the mission to gather all the relic items in and around Delhi. The attractive displays of museum consists of manuscripts, art, weapons and other items, which sums up as the dazzling testimony of ancient rulers like Mughals, Mauryan, Sunga, Gupta, Rajput and Sultans. Archaeological Museum was build with an intention to collect all the significant items of the historical and unexplored items. The visiting schedule for the museum is from 10 am to 5 Pm, except on Fridays and other government holidays.

Nehru Museum And Planetarium
Nehru Museum and Planetarium, also known as Teenmurti Bhawan, is located at the former residence of the India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This building served as Nehru’s official home for 16 years until his death in 1964. After the sad demise of Nehru, this place was converted into museum in his fond remembrance. This wonderful building with high ceilings, wide verandas and manicured gardens highlights the life history of Nehru. The main attraction of this museum is the photographs of Nehru picturing the various phases of his life. The gallery here displays the priceless gifts, which Nehru received during his travel in India and abroad. Among them, the most precious one is the Bharat Ratna medal conferred to him by the government of India. Apart from this, the planetarium tells about the Indian space program too. The Museum is open on all days between 9.30 am and 4.45 pm except on Mondays.

Dolls Museum
A mesmerizing dolls museum in Delhi is located near the ITO crossing on the Bahadur Shah Jafar Marg. This museum was set up by the renowned political cartoonist, K. Shankar Pillai under the name Shankar’s International Dolls Museum. The dolls displayed here not only tells about the culture and traditions but also about the facial expressions, accessories, elegance and the costumes of people in different parts of the world. In Dolls Museum, there are about 6000 dolls collected from nearly 85 countries around the world. The museum also houses the Children’s Book Trust building, which is famous for its quality books for children. You can visit the museum any day between 10 am to 6 pm, except on Mondays.

National Science Centre Museum
National Science Centre of Delhi, one of the centres of National Council of Science Museum, is located on the main Bhairon Road, before the gate no 1 of Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The National Science Centre was inaugurated on January 9, 1992, by the then Prime Minister of India. Since its set up, the centre has rendered awesome service to the popularization of science. The primary aim of the National Science Centre is to attract students towards science and innovations by showcasing scientific models, interesting artifacts and pioneering exhibitions, which are displayed under the specific themes and galleries. There is also a good library and inflatable planetarium, which organizes various short-term training programs for schoolchildren and teachers. You can visit this science centre on any day of the week between 10 am to 5.30 pm.