Government Musuem@Chennai

The vast museum set up in the capital city of the South Indian state Tamilnadu is one of the prominent tourist attractions frequented by travelers and native of the state as well is the Government Museum, an iconic location taking you back into the vibrant pages of history.

Prominent Attractions of Government Museum, Chennai:

The museum has various sections catering to the diverse interests of the visitors. Anthropology, Archeaology, Botany, Zoology, Art Gallery, Children’s Museum, Numismatics are few of the sections where some of the exhibits are even pre historic. Researchers, history buffs, students, photo fanatics are largely attracted by the exhibits in this museum.

Getting There:

Chennai is acclaimed as Gateway of South India with the best  connectivity with almost many of the countries. You can reach the destination in a 40 minutes drive from Chennai Airport.

Best Time to visit:

The weather will be at its best between October and March. So, plan your trip to Chennai during this period which is a high peak season.

Entry Timings:

The Government Museum in Chennai is kept open to public from 9.30AM to 5.00PM. Please note the museum is closed on Fridays, Independence Day(August 15^th), Republic Day (January 26^th) and Gandhi Jeyanthi (October 2^nd).

Entry Fee:

Indian Visitors:

Children: Rs10

Adults: Rs.15

Bonafide School students: Rs.5

International Visitors:

Children: Rs125

Adults: Rs.250

Bonafide School students: Rs.75

Other Fee:

Still Camera :  Rs.200

Video Camera: Rs.500

Dakshina Chitra Musuem

Museum that exclusively aims at exhibiting the rich heritage and culture of South India is at Chennai, the capital city of South Indian state Tamilnadu known popularly as Dakshina Chitra. Preserving and promoting the culture, art forms and lifestyles of South India has been exhibited in the most enjoyable way in Dakshina Chitra.

What to see in Dakshina Chitra?

Dakshina Chitra houses the collection of 18 houses representing the different regions of South Indian states Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra. An astonishing fact is that all these houses have been taken down and transported from the exact places where they were located and after reconstruction and stuffing them with the contextual properties, the houses are displayed for the public view. If you see the section of Tamilnadu, the houses replicating that of a Brahmin, Silk Weaver, Farmer and a potter are reconstructed. Similarly, houses of other states have been so aesthetically arranged, which is uniquely a visual retreat.

Getting There:

Dakshina Chitra is at a distance of 30kms from Chennai Airport. The popular landmark nearest to Dakhsina Chitra is MGM Dizzie World.

Best Time To Visit:

Though Chennai is a year round destination, it is ideal to plan a visit between October and March to experience the pleasant climate prevailing around.

Entry Timings:

Dakshina Chitra is kept open between 10AM to 6PM. Please note, except on Diwali Day, the museum is open to public on all the days except for the weekly holiday on Tuesdays.

Entry Fee:

Indian Visitors:

Children between 5 to 12 years – Rs.40

Children between 13 to 18 years – Rs.60

Adults – Rs.110 ( during weekends and festival days, the fee is Rs.130)

Camera :  Rs.25

Video Camera : Rs.150

Car Parking: Rs.25

Van Parking : Rs.35

Puppet Show: Adult – Rs.20 / Child – Rs.10

International Visitors:

Adults: Rs. 250

Children upto 18 years – Rs.70

Seashell Museum @ Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram, the famous tourist destination drawing thousands of tourists from all corners of the globe has the most splendid stone structures dating back to the Pallava period. The monolithic structures impress every visitors with their intricate designs and aesthetic appeal. One more interesting location for the tourists to visit and enjoy called The India Seashell Museum which is acclaimed as the largest museum for seashells in India, situated at a strategic location, very close to the Five Rathas monuments.

What to See in Seashell Museum?

More than 40,000 rarest collections including the seashells, fossils, shark teeth and fins of whale explored from different parts of the world are displayed here, visiting which is a true visual retreat for the clients.

The Pearl Museum inside the same premises houses a wonderful collection of numerous varieties of pearls.  The diverse and beautiful creation of pearls makes the visitors enjoy the location thoroughly. There are plenty of options to shop the beautiful ornaments made of pearls as souvenirs to take back.

Getting There:

Mahabalipuram, being a prominent tourist destination, can easily be reached from Chennai. The international airport and the rail terminus at Chennai has got a good connectivity with all parts of the country and globe.

Best Time to visit:

The coastal town Mahabalipuram is a year round destination. Still, plan your visit to Chennai between October and March to experience the best of climatic conditions.

Entry Timings:

The Museum functions from 8 AM to 8PM on all days

Entry Fee:

Museum :  INR 100 / person

Aquarium:  INR 50 / person

Pearl Museum: INR 50 /person

Combo offer : INR 150 / person

Pudukottai Museum

One of the very few museums frequented by students of schools and colleges round the year is Pudukottai Museum in Tamil Nadu. With more than 8000 exhibits, this museum has been functional since 1950, attracting tourists and students.

What to see in Pudukottai Museum:

Some of the interesting exhibits of Pudukottai Museum are Monitor Lizards, Arthanareeswara Stone Sculpture, working model of tyrannosaurus, Arthropods, Saw Fishes and Flamingos. An interesting collection to visit during your tour around the Tamilnadu.

Getting There:

Airport nearest to Pudukottai Museum is at Trichy. In a drive for less than an hour, you can reach the destination.

Entry Timings:

Except on Fridays and Listed National Holdiays, the museum is kept open from 9.00AM to 5.00PM.

State Museum, Lucknow

The state museum of Uttar Pradesh is in Lucknow, functioning from 1863, is a must see location for history buffs, art lovers and researchers. Located inside the Lucknow Zoo, the state museum is home to diverse artefacts and exhibits ranging from prehistoric stone age to natural history.

Prominent Attractions:

The vast museum arranged in four floors houses various galleries with themes on Jain Art, Indian Sculpture, Archaeology, Nawabs Art, Metal Arts, Natural History, Numismatics and list goes on.

Getting There:

The state museum at Lucknow is at a distance of 4kms from Charbagh railway station and can be easily accessed.

Entry Timings:

The museum is open to public on all days except Mondays from 10.30 AM to 4.30PM

Saranath Museum

The oldest of Archaeological museums in India is Sarnath Museum treasured with the excavations at the Buddhist Sites. The museum built to symbolize a Buddhist monastery houses antique objects ranging from 3^rd century BC to 12^th Century AD, an inspiring collection much frequented by researchers, archaeologists, students and history buffs.

Prominent Attractions of Saranth Museum:

The masterpieces of the yester years’ majestic buildings have been showcased in the main chapel, galleries and verandahs of Saranath Museum. Stones, lintels, pediments, bas reliefs, huge statues of Lord Gautama Buddha, illustrations of Buddha Jataka Stories are some of the interesting collections in this museum.

Getting There:

Saranath Museum is at a distance of 9km to the north of Varanasi City, well connected by all modes of transport.

Entry timings:

Saranath Museum is open to public from 9.00AM to 5.00PM on all days except Fridays.

Indian Museum, Kolkata

Visit the largest and oldest multipurpose Indian museum of the Asia-Pacific Region located at Kolkata in West Bengal.  The exhaustive collections of antique objects give us an overview about the rich heritage and vibrant culture of the ancient India despite the existence of multiple religions, cultures and lifestyles.

Prominent Attractions of Indian Museum:

Architectural remains from Bodhgaya, sculptures datable from 2^nd century AD, Sculptures from Gandhara School of Art, Mammal Gallery in Zoology section, Archeaological evolutions in India over the centuries, exquisite fabrics are some of the interesting sections thematically arranged with exuberant objects enthrall every visitor.

Getting There:

Indian Msueum is located at a distance of 17 km from Netaji Subhash Chandrabose International Airport.

Entry Timings:

Entry timings for the museum is as below:

Saturday & Sunday –  10.00 AM to 8.00 PM

Tuesday to Friday – 10AM to 6.30PM

Monday – Weekly Holiday

Other holidays – 26^th January, 15^th August and 2^nd October, Holi, Diwali, Eid-Ul-Fitr.

Entry Fee:

Children above 5 years – Rs.20

Adults – Rs.50

International Visitors – Rs.500

Other Fee:

Smartphone with Camera – Rs.50

Still Camera – Rs.100

Small Video Camera – Rs.2000

Video Camera with stand – Rs.5000

Cloak room and guide facility are available.

Birla Industrial & Technological Museum

The first science museum of the country, started with an objective to kindle the interest of innovation in science and technology is Birla Industrial & Technological Museum set up in Kolkata. The vast campus caters to the interests of the young minds and aims to redirect them in the glittering path of science and technology with the diverse labs and exhibitions on the core scientific domains.

Prominent Attractions:

Each of the galleries in this museum is thematically set up with the recent advancements, earlier inventions and working models in every subject. To name a few, Fascinating Physics, Digital Adventures, A world in darkness, motive power, metals are some of the interesting sections. There are free and paid shows conducted at specific time slots where the technical demonstrations are conducted. A day is not enough to get deeper insights about the various science and technology domains.

Getting There:

Birla Museum is easily accessible from any part of the city by all modes of road transport.

Entry timings:

The museum is open to public round the year with the timings as below:

Monday – Friday : 9.30AM to 6.00PM

Saturday & Sunday – 10.30AM to 8.00PM

Holidays : Holi and Diwali

Entry Fee:

Entry Ticket : Rs.50

3D Show: Rs.30

Taramandal : Rs.10

Science Show: Rs.10

Coal Mine: Rs.15

Car Parking: Rs.40

Two wheeler parking: Rs.20

Victoria Memorial Hall

Victoria Memorial Hall is acclaimed as one of the magnificent icons of India and the veritable architecture of Kolkata in West Bengal. The Hall is established in memory of the deceased Queen Victoria of British Raj. Since 1921, the museum has been attracting large number of visitors who desire to know about the great woman whose role in the history had been incredible.

Prominent Attractions:

The six thematically established galleries house the rarest collections of paintings, photographs, manuscripts, portraits give a visual retreat to the visitors. Out of the six galleries, the Queen’s Hall is a key attraction where the marble statue of Queen Victoria placed straight under the main dome of the monument. Also witness the beautiful piano used by the Young Victoria preserved here. The list goes on and the Victoria Memorial Hall never fails to enthrall the visitors. You can also visit the Gardend sprawling across 64acres of land with the prime attraction as the bronze statue of Empress Victoria and other popular personalities of that time.

Getting There:

The  huge building in white marble is iconic location in Kolkata and can be accessed easily from other parts of the city.

Entry Timings:

The Victoria Memorial Hall is open to public from 10.00AM to 6.00PM on all days except Mondays and National Holidays.

Entry Fee:

Victoria Memorial Hall Museum:

Indian Visitors : Rs.30

Visitors from SAARC* Countries: Rs.100

International Visitors: Rs.500

SAARC* – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

The Gardens:

Open round the year and the entry fee is Rs.20 / per head/ entry.