West Bengal takes joy in being known as the “Land of Intellectuals”. Some of the most notable social activists and freedom fighters have come from there to the world. Poets, writers, musicians, artists, and other revolutionary spirits have also called it home. The state’s capital, Kolkata, is a melting pot of beautiful culture, rich legacy, and fascinating history.
It is not unexpected that Kolkata is home to many museums that offer a glimpse into past times. The top museums in Kolkata must be seen throughout your stay; otherwise, it will be a waste of time. They present artifacts and remnants from the glorious past of the city. Anyone interested in history, art, or traditions should visit one of Kolkata’s museums.
The following Kolkata museums should be on your itinerary:
1. Indian Museum Kolkata
Indian Museum Kolkata, one of India’s oldest and biggest museums, dates back to 1814 and is home to up to one lakh exhibits! The Indian Museum, often known as the “House of Magic” or “Jadughar”, is India’s second-largest museum. The country’s rich heritage is reflected in the numerous historical artifacts found there.
The museum’s interior contains more than sixty halls with exhibits related to anthropology, economic botany, zoology, archaeology, and geology. You get the opportunity to observe the numerous dimensions of history and culture when you visit the museum.
The museum takes you on a fantastic journey, including antique sculptures, Egyptian mummies, sacred Buddhist relics, and contemporary paintings and paintings. You may learn more about the Mughal era by looking at paintings, armour, decorations from various times, fossils, and skeletons, among other things.
The Indian government has granted this museum the Institution of National Importance designation. When you arrive, don’t forget to check out the museum’s exquisitely preserved Shahjahan’s goblet, embryos of humans, and meteorite fragments.
2. Victoria Memorial Hall
The Victoria Memorial, a magnificent icon in the city of pleasure, is located in the center of Kolkata. Lord Curzon built this beautiful palace of white marble in honour of Queen Victoria. The memorial is surrounded by a 64-acre, beautifully kept, lush green garden with various statues and sculptures.
A sixteen-foot-tall bronze figure of victory supported on ball bearings is set at the top of the memorial, contributing to the structure’s beauty and majesty overall. Particularly at night, the Victoria Memorial appears stunning when it is lit up. The museum’s primary exhibits are on view inside the monument’s Victoria Memorial Hall.
It exhibits Gagendranath Tagore’s magnificent artwork, including the art of Abanindranath Tagore. The Samuel Davis Artworks, Magnificent Heritage of India shows, Krishna’s iconographic depictions, and Sir Charles Doyle’s coloured lithographs from Calcutta are among the other masterpieces.
Explore the ancient collections of Western and Indian paintings, manuscripts, and rare pictures. Rare collections can also be found, including the illustrated works of Shakespeare, music and dance books, the Arabian Dance, and other educational gems, including weaponry, textiles, artifacts, and stamps.
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3. Kolkata Tram Museum
You may learn everything there is to know about trams in the museum’s archives. The museum’s exhibits cover a wide range of trams, from the earliest models—such as horse-drawn trams—through the later models—such as Disinfectant Trams, OmniBus, Watering Tramcars, and Flat Waggon Trams, to name a few.
The museum was established in 2014 and goes by “Smarnika,” meaning remembrance. The first thing that captures your attention and heightens your excitement is the structure in which this museum is situated. It’s because the building isn’t constructed of brick and mortar as the other museums in the city are.
There are also some fascinating artifacts in this museum, including uncommon images of the old streets of Kolkata, vintage tram passes and tickets, pens and caps used by tram conductors, the first tram coins, coin exchanger machines, armlets, and tram parts like pull-off springs and red lamp governor switches.
The museum’s interiors have been modified at the Nonapukur workshop, while the outside is made of wood, just like the tram’s original construction. In addition to information about trams in Kolkata or India, the tram museum in Kolkata also features information about trams throughout history.
4. Netaji Bhawan
The most fascinating aspect of Kolkata is how it has preserved artifacts and remnants from its history. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose previously lived in Netaji Bhawan, a building constructed in 1909. It played an important part in the Indian independence movement as a center for radical thought and political activity.
It is now an extensive museum devoted to Netaji’s brilliant life and the turbulent Indian freedom movement. Many of Netaji’s personal things are exhibited, including his characteristic khaki uniform, furnishings, pens, shoes, clocks, etc. You will discover a variety of Netaji-related artifacts collected from throughout the globe.
A well-stocked library with books and other reading materials written by and about the legendary leader is another feature of Netaji Bhawan. You can even go see the real automobile he fled in and the hidden stairs. A trip to Netaji Bhawan is like turning back the hands of time and unfolding the pages of a history book.
If you’re prepared to listen, every crevice of the historic structure is eager to share a tale with you. It is not shocking that many of Netaji’s supporters go to this museum to put his life and death together because they were nothing short of a jigsaw puzzle. The Netaji Research Bureau owns and manages the museum and the adjacent library.
5. Jorasanko Thakur Bari Museum
Visiting the Jorasanko Thakur Bari, also known as Tagores’ ancestral home, is a must-do in Kolkata. The most prominent of them was Rabindranath Tagore, a poet, an artist, and the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize. The exquisite palace is one of Kolkata’s most attractive heritage structures and Rabindranath Tagore’s birthplace and childhood home.
Gaganendranath and Abanindranath Tagore, who founded the Bengal School of Art, lived in the Thakur Bari. Rabindra Bharati Museum, a stunning museum founded in 1961 and displaying personal accounts from the Tagores’ life, is also housed in the same structure. Today, visitors worldwide interested in art travel to the place.
Regarding Bengal’s artistic and cultural reformation, including the Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj, locals refer to Thakur Bari as the vital hub. Wonderful collections of images, paintings, crafts, and sculptures from the past, as well as a few pieces of furniture, may be found at the Rabindra Bharati Museum.
In three halls, the Jorasanko Thakurbari Museum presents the noble laureate’s loving family portraits, the development of Tagore as a poet and philosopher, Tagore’s works, and figures from the Bengal Renaissance such as Rabindranath, Abanindranath, Debendranath, Dwarkanath, etc.
6. Mother’s Wax Museum
Simply put, the Wax Museum Kolkata is one location that is certain to evoke feelings of adventure and astonishment among visitors. Near the well-known Eco Park in the Rajarhat New Town satellite township, the museum is home to monuments of well-known figures from history and popular culture.
The statue of famed Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is on one side, and the statue of eminent poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore is on the other. Two levels of the enormous museum are separated into parts, each containing sculptures of well-known figures from a specific area.
The museum has at least one notable figure from every field, including cartoon characters, national leaders, scientists, Hollywood, Bollywood, Bengali, and famous writers. Therefore, celebrities like Tom Cruise, Einstein, Harry Potter, and Vivekananda enjoy the spotlight alongside Messi and Maradona.
To protect the wax figures, the museum requests compliance from its visitors with several rules. These include refraining from touching the statues and avoiding bringing in water, food, matchboxes, or other flammable items. A tattoo light show in one of the chambers is one of the museum’s unique attractions.
7. Birla Industrial & Technological Museum
Not all of Kolkata’s museums are focused on antiquities and relics. There are 12 breathtaking galleries at the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum, each devoted to a distinct area of science and technology. The museum was founded in 1959 and is commonly referred to as Birla Museum Kolkata.
Through its exhibitions, the Birla Museum presents the scientific side of humanity. The museum is divided into sections for physics, biotechnology, motive power, transportation, metals, life sciences, electricity, and electronics. A model underground coal mine is a must-see feature of the museum.
The museum’s premises also feature a well-stocked library for people who want additional details on the artwork and the science that inspired it. For a small price, you can browse this location’s extensive collection of CDs, magazines, publications, and books. The museum hosts several events annually to keep the interest in science alive.
The intriguing events include the yearly science quiz, science theatre competition, engineering and science fair, hobby camps, and film festivals. By giving teaching resources to various educational institutions and hosting events like sky observation days, talks, and seminars, the Birla Science Museum Kolkata also contributes to improving education.
The Bottom Line
The museums in Kolkata are a reflection of the culture and history of the city. These seven renowned museums provide something for everyone, regardless of interest in literature, science, art, or history. Don’t miss the chance to go there and discover more about the fascinating city’s rich history. Explore these fantastic museums by making travel plans to Kolkata today!
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Museums are good things to visit. But the roads in Kolkata are so bad by the time you reach the museum you become a museum piece.
You have not mentioned the museum in Fort William.That one is great.If you missed it then you have not seen any thing.