Government Museum Chennai

No other museum in South India is as famous as the Government Museum Chennai which is a home to a great collection of the objects which are a testimony to the rich heritage of Tamal Nadu. It is located in the heart of the city at a place called Egmore. Serving several purposes under one roof, the Museum has several galleries dedicated to different themes. The  manifestation of this museum was the sincere effort of the Madras Literary Society. Its foundation was laid in the year 1846. Sir Henry Pottinger, the then Governor, took the permission for constructing the museum from the Court Of Directors of the East India Company In London. The Museum was inaugurated on 29th April 1851. Since then its popularity is increasing.

Covering an area of 16.25 acres, the Government Museum Chennai houses six  separate buildings. Within the boundaries of these six buildings lie 46 galleries which will surely leave you mesmerized.

Following are the galleries of the Museum:

1) Main Building Galleries

• Archaeology
• Zoology
• Botany
• Geology
• Numimatics

2) Front Building

• Archaeology
• Anthropology

3) Bronze Gallery

• Archaelogy
• Numimatics
• Chemical Conservation

4) Children's Museum

5) National Art Gallery

6) Contemporary Art Gallery

The amazing collections inside the Museum are the wonderful South Indian Bronzes, Amravati sculptures, Tanjavur armoury, inscriptions on copper and stone plates, the hoard of gold coins of Raja Raja I and Kulothunga I, artefacts  from Arikamedu(near Pondicherry), the magnificent crystal reliquaries from the Bhattiprolu Stupa, skeletons of the whales and dolls.

You can visit the Museum between 9:30 to 5 P.M. It is closed on Friday and on National holidays.