Location: North East of Maidan.
Visiting time:
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (March–November)
10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (December–February)
It remains closed on Mondays.
Admission Fee: Rs 10
Hit the Spot: Any bus to Esplanade can bring one here. One can also avail of any tram to Esplanade.
Photography / Video charges: Strictly prohibited.
Nearest Railway Station: Howrah
Nearest Metro Station: Park Street
Nearest International Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Time required for sight seeing: 3 hours.

The Indian Museum is a concern of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and was founded in 1784. Initially the Museum had a couple of sections: (a) The Archaeological, ethnological and technical Section and (b) The geological and zoological Section.

In 1840 the Museum of Economic geology was added to the Society's rooms but it was removed to No. 1 Hastings Street in 1856 with the coming up of the Geological Survey of India. As a result, the museum began to have an extensive display of the Archaeological and Zoological collections.

Gradually, in 1865 it was decided that the Zoological, Geological and Archaeological collections of the Asiatic Society should be transferred to the Board of Trustees for the proposed Indian Museum and that the Government should provide accommodation for the Society in the Museum building. As a result, the remarkable ‘Jadughar’ building was built in 1878.

In 1882, the Government of Bengal started building a separate section of the Indian Museum in Sudder Street and the work was completed in 1891. Consequently, the "Economic Court" gallery opened to public in May 1901.

The famous picture Gallery derives from a wish of the then Viceroy, Lord Northbrook in December, 1874, while inaugurating a Fine Art Exhibition in Kolkata, that a permanent Art Gallery would eventually be established here. His wish was fulfilled by the industrious efforts of Sir Richard Temple, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. Accordingly in 1876 three buildings (at Baithak-khana in continuation of Bowbazar) immediately adjacent to the Government School of Art were secured which formed the core of the Art Gallery for the housing of its exhibits. The Gallery was opened on April 6, 1876, by Lord Northbrook.

In 1905 late E. B. Havell, the then Principal of the Government School of Art, persuaded the Govt. to do away with a collection of European pictures belonging to the School and use the proceeds for buying examples of Indian sculpture and painting. Thus the Art Gallery in its present form was established. Subsequently, the "Art Ware Court" and the "Art Collection" of the Museum were fused with those of the Art Gallery belonging to the School of Art. The combined collection was placed in the Chowringhee extension of the Main Museum building under the charge of the Principal, Government School of Art (now Govt. College of Art and Craft).

The Museum has six sections dealing with Archaeology, Art, Anthropology, Geology, Zoology and Industry including Botany and is controlled by a Board of Trustees for the co-ordination of the various sections.

The Art Section of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, consists of two Galleries- (1) Picture Gallery and (2) the Gallery of objects of art and textiles.

The new Indian Painting Gallery was inaugurated on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 on the 1st floor of the Indian Museum by the famous sculptor Sri Chintamoni Kar.

Special Attractions: The museum also has an extensive collection of the following: Egyptian Mummy, Buddhist stupa from Bharhut, Buddha's Ashes, Fossil Skeletons of Prehistoric animals, Art Collection, Rare Antiques and Collection of Meteorites.

Specially conducted tours are also held for foreign colleges and universities. For more information one can write to the Director of the Indian Museum, 27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata-700016 or e-mail to imbot@cal2.vsnl.net.in

Grub Joints

Near to the Indian Museum lies the Chowringhee-Park Street-Esplanade stretch which is a Grubbers delight in Kolkata. There are numerous restaurants which offer a range of mouth watering delights: blends of home-feel Bengali cuisines, to the spicy Mughlai, to the sizzling Chinese, to Italian and Continental spreads.

If one wants to try on the flavours of Bengal one should visit the Peerless Inn or Oh! Calcutta. For Mughlai freaks, there is Aminia, Rahmania and Shiraz; Mainland China, Marco Polo, Chung Wah and Golden Dragon offer delicious Chinese cuisine whereas Domino's at Russel Street and Pizza Hut at Camac Street excel in Italian delicacies. Indian Cricket icon Saurav Ganguly's signature restaurant-Saurav's-The Food Pavilion is a grubbers delight whereas the British legacy is still exemplarily followed by Flury's. One could drop in at One Step up! for Continental spreads whereas people looking for some cool beverages can drop in at Barista or CCD. One can also treat themselves to the mouth-watering puchkas, sherbets, fruit salads and other road side delicacies near the Minar though they could be a bit tough on ones tummy at times!

Related External Link:
Official Website of Indian Museum