Indian Museum in Kolkata

The Indian Museum in Kolkata is the ninth oldest museum in the world and the largest museum in India with its foundation stone laid in the year 1814. It has exhibits of some finest collection of artefacts that include, armours, fossils, skeletons, antiques, ornaments, Egyptian mummies and contemporary paintings as well as paintings from the Mughal era.

Indian museum also boasts to have one of the most unique assemblages of coins and sculptures that date back to the second century AD. There are sculptures from Gandhara School of Art and architectural remains from Bodhgaya too, which are displayed in separate galleries. The museum is popularly called as ‘Jaadu Ghar’.

Museums are a treasure trove for all history buffs. The Indian Museum has a total of 35 galleries divided into 6 categories namely Anthropology, Art, Archaeology, Geology, Zoology and Economic Botany.

History of Indian Museum Kolkata
The conceptualization of setting up a museum in 1794 was, in itself a moment of pride towards the cultural development and a value addition to the heritage and history of India. The ideation of Indian Museum was proposed by The Asiatic Society of Bengal which was formed by Sir William Jones in 1784, a well-known scholar who devoted his life to the service of India. It only appeared concrete by 1808, when the society members were granted a suitable place by the then Government of India in Chowringhee- Park Street area.

The principle purpose of forming the Asiatic Society of Bengal was to promote a centre for learning and development of culture and art through socio-cultural activities and also to preserve the culture and tradition pertaining to the limited geography of Asia.

The Indian Museum was established in February 1814 by Dr. Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish Botanist. Dr. Wallich suggested that the museum must have two sections- an archaeological, ethnological and technical section and a geological and zoological one. Wallich was named as the Honorary Curator of the Oriental Museum of the Asiatic Society. He had also donated several botanical specimens from his personal collection.

Museum in Kolkata

Museum in Kolkata is not just a city of food, but also a very deep history and culture. And the best museums in Kolkata let you explore the city’s rich history, heritage, and culture. If you are a museum or history buff, then you can’t miss all the different types of museums in Kolkata, from one that houses globally significant historical artefacts, to one that is dedicated to Kolkata’s very own trams, to one that makes for a whole adventure out of science, there is something for everybody. If you are travelling with kids, or want to take out your siblings or cousins for a day out, there are more than one museums in Kolkata to visit with your kids. Let’s find out what are all these places that we tend to forget about, that remain a great place to learn and reconnect with our past.