List of Museums in Delhi - Tourist Information
If you are visiting Delhi and like to explore some historical places, don't miss the important museums in the state. Find the complete list of all popular museums that allow entry to the tourists.
Museums are institutions that conserves a vast collection of objects with scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance. At the same time they are easily available for public viewing through exhibits which may be permanent or temporary. You can see this museums anywhere in the world. Some local museums can be seen in smaller cities or towns while the large museums are located in major cities of the world. But here we are mainly focusing on the names of some popular museums located in Delhi, the capital city of our country. History reveals that the word 'Museum' came from the greek word Mouseion which means a place or temple dedicated to the Muses.The museum of Plato in Athens is considered to be the first museum/library in the world. The purpose of a museum change from institution to institution. Image courtesy: indianetzone.com
Some museums specialize in categories like Fine Arts, Applied Arts, Craft, Archaeology, Anthropology and Ethnology, History, Cultural History, Science, Technology, Children's Museums, Natural History, Botanical and Zoological Gardens.
Apart from this, there are museums of modern art, folk art, local history, military history, aviation history, philately, agriculture or geology. The type and size of a museum is reflected in its collection. A museum normally houses a core collection of important selected objects in its field. Here I have given some basic information regarding a museum. But here we are mainly focusing on Delhi museums. Just like its history and monuments, the museums of Delhi attract any tourists who are curious to know about the heritage and history of Delhi. You might be surprised to hear that some museums are provided with activity rooms for children to play and learn in. Some of the popular and largest museums in India is the National Museum in New Delhi . Established in 1949, it holds variety of articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern works of art. Functioning under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the National Museum is situated on the corner of Janpath and Maulana Azad Road. The museum has 200,000 works of art, both of Indian and foreign origin.
Being the national capital, Delhi, has a large number of museums. Apart from this museum, there are independent museums each devoted to a particular subject, like the railways (preserving and displaying locomotives and carriages used by the Indian Railways since its earliest days), philately, arts and crafts, natural history, and even important historical personalities like Jawahar Lal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.List of famous museums in Delhi region
Palam Air Force Station,
New Delhi 110010
India
Tel: +91(11)25697551-61, Ext 7684
Open: 10 AM- 5 PM, Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Red Fort, Delhi
Phone: 23267961
Open: 10 AM - 5 PM. Closed on Fridays.
Entry free
Pragati Maidan,
Delhi
Phone: 23371817
Open: 9.30 AM - 5 PM. Monday closed
Opposite Raj Ghat
Phone: 23310168
Open: 9.30 AM - 5.30 PM
Film Shows: Sundays 3 pm (Hindi), 6 pm (English).
Entry free
5, Tees January Marg
Phone: 23011480
Open 10 AM - 5 PM. Closed on public holidays and mondays
Entry free
Rajghat,
New Delhi 110002
Tel: (91)(011) 23310168, 23311793, 23328310
Email: gandhimuseumdelhi@gmail.com, mkgandhingm@rediffmail.com
Website: www.gandhimuseum.org
No:1 Safderjang Road,
New Delhi 110011
Timing: 9:30 AM- 5:00 PM, Closed on Mondays
No:5,
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg,
New Delhi
Jaipur House,
India Gate, Near Delhi Highcourt,
New Delhi 110003
Open: 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM, Closed on Mondays
Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin,
New Delhi
Tel: 24351098
Open: 10:00 AM- 6:00 PM, Closed on Sunday
Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust,
Jamia Milia Islamia, Okhla,
New Delhi
Tel: 26981717
1 Institutional Area, Lodhi Road,
Delhi
Phone: 24611515
Timings: Open: 9.30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 5.30 PM
Closed on Saturday and Sundays
Entry free
1 Kotla Road,
Near I.T.O,
New Delhi
Open: 9:00 AM- 5:30 PM, Closed on Sunday and Monday
Barakhamba Road
New Delhi
Phone: 23018145
Open: 10 AM - 5 PM.
Monday Closed
Daktar Bhawan, Sansad Marg
Phone: 23710154
Open 9.30 AM - 12.30 PM & 2.30 PM - 4.30 PM. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Entry Free
Block No:4, CGO complex,
Lodi Road,
New Delhi
Open: 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM, Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Entry free
New Delhi
Phone: 23019272
Open: 10:00 AM -5:00 PM
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Phone: 26881816
Open: October to March 9.30 AM - 5:00 PM
April to September - 9.30 AM to 7:00 PM.
Entry Fee: adult Rs.3, children Rs.2
Teen Murti Marg
Phone: 23018145
Open: 9:00 AM - 5.15 PM
Monday closed
Rabindra Bhavan,
Ferozshah Road,
New Delhi
Open: 9:30 AM- 6:00 PM, Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Nehru House,
4, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg
N.Delhi
Open: 10:00 AM- 5:30 PM, Closed on Monday
Entry fees: Rs 15(Adult), Rs 5(Child)
Anandgram P.O,
Arjungarh Mehrauli,
Gurgaon Road,
New Delhi
Open: 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM, Closed on Monday
I think it will be better to mention some important facts regarding these museums, which might be helpful for you when you plan the trip to Delhi. As the name indicates Air Force Museum, I guess you have an idea regarding it. If you are fond of aeroplanes, then must visit this museum as it offers a vast collection of aeroplanes and armories on display. Loctaed in the historic red fort, the Archeological Museum exhibits a vast collection of textile costumes, paintings and weapons. If you get a chance to visit the Crafts Museum, don't miss it as you may be welcomed by the attractions there. Gandhi Museum is dedicated to father of our nation and so it contains some of the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi. Ghalib Academy dedicated in memory of great urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Nizamuddin showcases the photographs, statue and books of his age. Indira Gandhi Memorial contains a vast collection of some rare photographs of Indira's childhood, nationalist movements etc. Malliah Memorial Theatre Craft Museum has a wide collection of masks, puppets etc. National Rail Museum welcomes you with fairy queen, the best preserved steam engine of 1855. The main attraction of Nehru Museum and Planetarium includes photographs as well as newspaper clippings from Independence movement.
I think since NCR is a part of New Delhi, DNCR should be clubbed together, and museums in NCR should be added to the list of museums. The rest is up to the museum authorities - whether they allow visitors or not. I know of some who prefer appointment should be fixed prior to visit. Since most museums in NCR are located in residential houses, they may not allow too many people - say, not more than 10 or less at a time due to lack of space. Some museums do not charge entry fee.