Even in today’s technological world, Museums are pivotal sites to take a look into the history of any particular city or a country. Kolkata, being an intellectual division of India’s freedom struggle and producing well-known writers and revolutionaries is a place filled copious museums to travel and glimpse into the rich history it boasts itself of. If you are visiting Kolkata, the city’s museums are just not to be missed. They are conserving the cultural and intellectual legacy of the state since decades and are important tourist attractions for those augmenting their knowledge about the history of India. Hence, let’s explore the best museums in the City of Joy and let ourselves be awed by the glorious heritage of Kolkata.
1. Indian Museum
Famed as the most ancient museum of India, Indian Museum was established in 1814. There are around 35 exhibits covering the topics of archaeology, zoology, botany and numerous other life sciences. Moreover, the compilation too is quite exceptional and exclusive. There are antiques, jewelries, models of animals, Egyptian Mummies and so many ancient relics to discover at Indian Museum and you can visit this place around 10 am to 5 pm. It is also endearingly referred to as Jadughar, and is under to the top finest compilation of antiques all around India as well as the world.
2. Academy of Fine Arts
A wonderful destination to unravel Bengal’s love for Arts, the Academy of Fine Arts is one of the best tourist sites for art enthusiasts. It actually started off as an arts society and is later constructed into a full-fledged art gallery. There are several divisions within the academy including textile and carpet museum, Gallery of Academy Arts, Studio and Sketching club and many other segments that are full of wonders. Further, if you are interested in painting and arts, you can be a part of sculpturing classes and painting sessions held by the Academy.
3. Netaji Bhavan
This place is the ancestral residence of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and is preserved as a museum delightfully named as Netaji Bhavan conserving the memories and keepsakes of Bengal’s known freedom fighter. It is also research bureau referred to as Netaji Research Bureau. The place has a museum which displays Netaji’s life including his secret staircase to leave the house, his study and his bedroom in ideally as they were during his times. A worth destination to explore in Kolkata, this museum will ecstatically revert you to the Indian Freedom Struggle times and where you can live the times of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s life.
4. The Victoria Memorial
Build with the splendid marble stones, the Victoria Memorial is one of the known Indian monuments and later transformed into a museum. This is a wonderful tourist attraction visited by copious travelers and stunningly shows the times of Victorian Era. Further, it is a reminiscence of British reign in India and is an ideal monument displaying the impressive Indo-Saracenic architectural design which was used in a revival style. There are 25 different galleries amidst the memorial and demonstrate the royal, sculpture and Calcutta galleries and many others. Vintage paintings, relics, antiques of the British colonial times can be found here and a special collection of ancient and Victorian books.
5. Gurusaday Museum
Gurusaday Museum is a handicrafts and arts museum of Kolkata showing the tribal crafts of the city in its offbeat aspect. Situated in Joka, the museum was constructed by the Bengal Bratachari Society and displaying the compilations of Gurusaday Dutt’s own 2325 unique specimens amassed during his journeys as a district collector to the local areas of then Bengal. It is a treasure of unique tribal artworks offering a quaint look into the rural times of unbroken Bengal.
These above listed ones are the best to go for in Kolkata if you are sparing a day to just wander around the city and soaking the scholarly heritage it possesses. So, don’t forget to visit these museums in your next trip to Kolkata and we assure you that they will surely add to your knowledge about India and the history of Kolkata, happy journey!
