Highlights & Star Attractions of National Museum Delhi

Summary

Did you know that the National Museum Delhi is the biggest and best museum in Delhi and one of the best museums in India? Did you also know that there are over 200,000 exhibits in the National Museum Delhi? To see all these exhibits would take several days, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably want to get through the museum in a couple of hours. For this reason, we list below the highlights and star attractions of National Museum Delhi as well as other important information to help you plan your trip to this wonderful attraction in New Delhi.

Highlights & Star Attractions of National Museum Delhi

 

Did you know that the National Museum Delhi is the biggest and best museum in Delhi and one of the best museums in India? Did you also know that there are over 200,000 exhibits in the National Museum Delhi? To see all these exhibits would take several days, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably want to get through the museum in a couple of hours. For this reason, we list below the highlights and star attractions of National Museum Delhi as well as other important information to help you plan your trip to this wonderful attraction in New Delhi.

 

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History of National Museum Delhi

Located in New Delhi, the National Museum is a splendid museum showcasing five millennia of Indian history with a collection of more than 200,000 pieces of Indian and Asian art. The collection was formed from the nucleus of the Exhibition of Indian Art which was sent to London in the winter of 1948-9 for an exhibition at the Royal Academy’s Burlington House. After its return, it was merged with the Asian Antiquities Museum to display a vibrant collection of the artistic treasures of India and Central Asia including ethnological objects from prehistoric archaeological finds to the late medieval period.

 

Highlights of National Museum New Delhi

The highlights of the National Museum’s collection include the following.

• Indus Valley relics (pre 2500 BC)
• Central Asian treasures from the Silk Route
• Collection of Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings
• Sacred Relics of Buddha
• Ancient Mughal manuscripts
• Exquisite old coins including pure gold examples from the 1^st century

 

Tips for Visiting National Museum Delhi

The best way to explore this museum is with an audio guide which not only provides detailed information about the exhibits, it also points out the star attractions in each gallery. An audio guide is available from the ticket office – you need to show some identification to obtain one.

Free guided tours are also run by volunteer guides at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm (Tue-Fri) and 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm (Sat-Sun).

While cameras are allowed inside the museum, video cameras are prohibited.

Early weekday mornings are the best time to visit the museum to avoid the crowds.

Look out for a number of art students from local universities who visit the National Museum to practice their artwork. Some of them are really talented and make beautiful sketches of the sculptures in the museum.

 

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National Museum Gallery Guide

The collection is displayed across 30+ galleries on three floors, grouped according to theme, epoch and style. The central foyer itself has a display of sculptures from various parts of the country. The museum also has a library and auditorium where film shows and lectures are regularly held. Information on these is published in the newspapers. Information regarding catalogues and souvenirs can be had at the ticket office in the foyer. The display is changed from time to time for variety, and special exhibitions are also mounted.

 

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Ground Floor of National Museum Delhi

On the ground floor are prehistoric seals, figurines, toy animals and jewellery from the Harappan civilization (2400-1500 BC). Maurya Period: terracottas and stone heads from around the third century BC include the chaturmukha (four-faced) lingam. Gandhara School: stucco heads showing the Graeco Roman influence. Gupta terracottas (circa AD 400): include two life-size images of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna and the four-armed bust of Vishnu from a temple near Lal Kot. South Indian sculpture: from Pallava and early Chola temples and relief panels from Mysore. Bronzes from the Buddhist monastery at Nalanda. Some of Buddha’s relics were placed in the Thai pavilion in 1997.

 

Harappan Gallery (Star Attraction)

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Also known as the Indus Valley Civilisation, the Harappan Civilization dates back to pre 2500 BC and can be compared to the contemporary civilisations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and China. The collection in this gallery represents the advanced technology and sophisticated lifestyle of the Harappan people. Among the artefacts, the most significant is the Dancing Girl which is a 4.5 inch bronze statue belonging to the early Harappan period. Other prominent objects are a priest head, a skeleton excavated from Rakhigarhi in Haryana, terracotta images of Mother Goddess and various clay pottery. Apart from these the gallery also has sculptures in bronze and terracotta objects, bone objects, ivory, steatite, semi-precious stones, painted pottery and jewellery items from the Harappan civilisation. Many seals used for trading purposes are also exhibited. Seals depict bulls, elephants, unicorns, tigers, crocodiles and other unknown symbols.

 

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Maurya, Shunga and Satvahana Arts Gallery

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The gallery has objects from the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC spanning three major dynasties – Mauryas, Shungas and Satvahanas. Some objects displayed here are characterized by a mirror-like finishing depicting Greek influence. The gallery also houses fragments of railings from various ancient Stupas that have been carved with episodes from Buddha’s life. A prominent exhibit shows Sage Asita’s visit to Baby Siddharta; the Bharhut railings depicts the story of Buddha related by the sage Drona. Many of the sculptures on display do not depict Buddha in the physical form. He is always represented as symbols such as the Dharmachakra, Bodhi tree, empty throne and footprints.

 

 

Kushana Gallery

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This gallery has art objects from the Kushan period (1st – 3rd century BC). Objects from the Gandhara School of Art and the Mathura School of Art are on display in this gallery. The Gandhara School was largely influenced by Greek iconography and the themes were mainly Buddhist. Most prominent among the objects is the 2nd century BC Standing Buddha, made in grey schist stone by the Gandhara School of Arts. This period marks the first time when Buddha was shown in physical form. The primary themes of the Mathura School of Arts included Buddhism, Jainism and Brahmanism, while Buddhist themes were largely featured by the Gandhara Arts. Other sculptures include the Kuber (Hindu god of Fortune), the Chattramukhi Shivlinga, the Bodhisattva, and the Jain votive plaques.

Kubera, a rare example of a Hindu god shown as a 2^nd century Kushana grandee with marked Central Asian features is among a large collection of Mathura Art.

 

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Gupta Gallery

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This gallery exhibits artefacts from the Gupta Dynasty (4th-6th centuries CE). During this period, Mathura and Sarnath were the main centres of artistic activity. Under the patronage of the Gupta rulers, sculptures attained a perfection of form that set the standard for artistic beauty for the next few centuries. Major developments in iconography took place during this period. The sculptures started depicting beautifully proportioned figures with clear features.

At the entrance to this gallery, there are two terracotta statues of Goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. Ganga stands on her vehicle, Makara, a hybrid creature with the body of a crocodile and the tail of a fish; she holds a pot full of water. On the other side, Yamuna stands on her vehicle, a turtle, also holding a pot of water. These statues were originally placed at the entrance to a temple symbolizing a dip in the sacred rivers for purification.

 

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Medieval Arts Gallery

The sculptures and artefacts from the Medieval Period are divided into two galleries: early and late.

 

Early Medieval Artefacts

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This gallery has sculptures ranging from the 7th to 10th centuries. After the fall of the Gupta empire, the Indian subcontinent was divided and it was controlled by different dynasties in different parts of India:

• Palas in the East
• Maitrakas in the West
• Vardhanas and Pratiharas in the North
• Pallavas, Cholas and Chalukyas in the South

There was a general decline in the artistic quality because of the limited number of master craftsmen and the large number of temples being built.

 

Late Medieval Artefacts

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This gallery has sculptures ranging from the 10th to 13th centuries. The country was further sub-divided into a number of separate principalities during this period.

• Hoysalas and Nayakas in the South
• Paramars and Chandelas in the North
• Gajapatis and Senas in the East
• Chauhans and Chahamanas in the West

The main artefacts in this gallery are:

• Sun God
• Saraswati, the Goddess of Music, Learning and Intelligence. Carved in Marble, the statue from Pallu, Rajasthan is a highly sophisticated and delicate work

 

 

Decorative Arts Gallery

Decorative Arts refer to arts concerned with the design and decoration of objects that are prized for their utility, rather than for their purely aesthetic qualities. Ceramics, pottery, furniture, textiles, glassware, metalware and jewellery are all included under Decorative Arts. The Decorative Arts section is also divided into 2 galleries.

 

Decorative Arts Gallery 1

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This gallery provides a glimpse into three collections in the Museum – Ivory, Jade and Ceramics. The Ivory group has several Hindu and Christian religious figures. The Jade section showcases the utilitarian objects, while the Ceramic group contains glazed tiles and blue-white pottery.

 

Ivory Collection

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One of the highlights in this gallery is an intricately carved complete single ivory tusk depicting Buddha life stories. This tusk, which is nearly five foot long, illustrates forty three events in the life of the Buddha and is thought to have been made by early 20th century craftsmen from the Delhi region.

This ivory tusk illustrates important life events of Lord Buddha in 43 circular roundel, first 25 referring to the story of Buddha’s birth to his enlightenment followed by 18 depicting his life events from enlightenment to Mahaparinirvana. Similar scenes have been presented in sculptures and paintings many a times but this ivory tusk shows few new scenes of Buddha’s life such as Siddharatha’s fight for a bird, his move against animal sacrifice and realization of death. As the thickness of the tusk reduces upwards, one can see at the tip three well-known postures depicting Bhumisparsha mudra, Abhayamudra and Dharmachakrapravatan mudra besides the roundels. There is also an intricately carved floral creeper banding around the roundels enhancing its beauty.

 

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Jade Collection

Mughal artefacts

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A large collection of Mughal jade carvings forms the display for its Jade Collection. One of the highlights here is an inscribed jade narval shaped huqqa belonging to Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Calligraphy is inscribed on silver strip, which has been elegantly fixed on the chilam and pedestal. The upper edge and lower portion of chilam and upper portion of huqqa’s pedestal is inscribed in Arabic and Persian in Nastaliq script.

Another noteworthy item is a jade surahi (flask). With a globular body and long neck, this surahi is an outstanding example of jade carving. It is inlaid with diamond shaped jade pieces and decorated with gold wire. Each of the joints is beautifully decorated with six petal flower motifs, which have been worked with gold leaf covering and glass. The neck portion of surahi is made of small rectangular jade pieces on which row of diamond design has been worked out. A ring of red stones on the lower portion of neck enhanced the charm of the surahi.

 

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Chinese artefacts

The prominent pieces on display comes from the Ming Dynasty are characterized by strong graceful forms and simple ornamentations.

The Gallery also has two interesting themes – Thrones of India, and Games and Leisure in the Past. The theme of thrones shows the evolution of the seat of power. From the low flat seats of antiquity to the modern armed chair, the journey of the throne is a fascinating story. An intricately carved home shrine and some metal Hindu and Jain pitikas (small seats for keeping idols for home shrines) are also displayed. The Jewel studded throne of the King of Varanasi is one of the best examples. The Games section has rattles, yo-yo, chess and chaupar. Tops made of different materials and designs are also exhibited. These artefacts combine the aesthetic and artistic elements of everyday objects used as games.

 

 

Decorative Arts Gallery 2

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This gallery has artefacts from the proto-historic period to the present day. This gallery exhibits metalware, jewellery and wooden objects. Most notable among the wooden objects is the Vahana (a wooden horse) on diplay.

 

 

First Floor of National Museum Delhi

Illustrated manuscripts are on the first floor and include the Babur-i-nama in the emperor’s own hand- writing and an autographed copy of Jahangir’s memoirs. Miniature paintings: include the 16th-century Jain School, the 18th-century Rajasthani School and the Pahari Schools of Garhwal, Basoli and Kangra. Aurel Stein Collection consists of antiquities recovered by him during his explorations of Central Asia and the western borders of China at the turn of the 20th century.

 

Miniature Paintings Gallery (Star Attraction)

The National Museum has over 17,000 miniature paintings which showcase the rich heritage of Indian miniature paintings. The gallery is divided based on the different schools of arts including Mughal, Deccani, Central India, Rajasthani, Pahari and many sub-styles relating to the period from 1000 AD to 1900 AD. It includes paintings on palm leaves, cloth, wood, leather, painted manuscripts, hardboard and canvas. The major themes of these miniature paintings are Kalpasutra, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana, Durgasaptasati, Ragamala, Baramasa, Panchatantra, Vishnu Purana, Shahnama and Baburnama.

 

Mughal Miniature Paintings 

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Miniature painting flourished during the Mughal Empire as Emperor Jahangir and Shahjahan were great patrons of art. In their courts, painters adopted themes ranging from portraitures to landscapes, durbar scenes to processions. The Deccani style was a fusion of Islamic art with indigenous art styles and local classical traditions with elements of Persian and European Renaissance.

A highlight among the Mughal miniature paintings is the Dara Shikoh’s Marriage Procession, an 18^th century Mughal miniature painting in gold and natural pigments.

 

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Rajasthan Miniature Paintings

Rajasthani miniatures flourished mainly in Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Kishangarh, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner.

Mewar miniatures illustrated Hindu mythological themes. Bundi and Kota miniatures excelled in composition and compactness. Hunting scenes were Kota’s speciality, while Bikaner excelled in portraiture. Kishangarh was known for its bani thani, which portrayed the model of an idealised and elegant woman.

 

Pahari Miniature Paintings

Pahari schools flourished mainly at Basohli, Chamba, Guler and Kangra. Under the patronage of Maharaja Sansar Chand in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Kangra became the most prominent centre for the Pahari style.

 

 

Buddhist Artefacts Gallery (Star Attraction)

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The Buddhist Art Section is mostly known for the Sacred Relics of Buddha (5th-4th century BC) unearthed from Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh. Outstanding specimens of Buddhist art is illustrated through exhibits in stone, bronze, terracotta, stucco, wooden sculptures and painted scrolls or thankas from Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, Myanmar, Java and Cambodia which represents the three principal Buddhist forms – Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. These objects stimulate a sense of devotion, dedication and love for humanity.

 

 

Evolution of Indian Scripts & Coins Gallery

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In this gallery, there are many large sized well-lit transparencies on show which narrate the development of various Indian scripts and coins.

 

 

Bronze Gallery

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This gallery displays a collection of Hindu statues made in bronze. The centrepiece of the museum’s South Indian bronzes is the Nataraja, a 12^th century Chola statue of the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva.

 

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Manuscripts Gallery

The collection of manuscripts in this gallery is in various languages and scripts covering a large number of subjects. They are written on different types of materials such as parchment, birch bark, palm leaf, cloth, paper and metals. All the manuscripts represent various religions and sects of the Indian subcontinent covering the period from the 7th to the 19th centuries.

A major highlight in this gallery is the section on ancient Korans. The ‘Illuminated Koran’ is a superb example of the elegant Islamic art of calligraphy. This gilded 18^th century Koran is one of a collection that also has a 8^th century Koran in the ancient Kufic script. The latter is among the oldest of its kind in the world.

 

 

Coins Gallery (Star Attraction)

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The Coins Gallery starts from the Cowries and ends at the Credit Cards. The entire history of Indian coinage from about 6th century BC to the beginning of the 21st century is exhibited. There are various dioramas depicting various techniques of coin production. These coins are a rich and authentic source of information on various aspects of ancient, medieval and modern Indian history.

 

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Central Asian Gallery (Star Attraction)

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The Serindian Collection is a vast and varied collection of this gallery excavated, explored and collected by Sir Aurel Stein, one of the major archaeological explorers of early 20th century. He collected these cultural materials from more than 100 ancient cities along the Silk Route during three major expeditions carried out in 1900-1901, 1906-1908 and 1913-1916. The collection consists of wall paintings, painted silk banners, sculptures in wood, stucco and terracotta, coins, porcelain and pottery objects, leather, grass and fibre, precious items of gold and silver, and religious and secular documents.

 

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Tanjore & Mysore Paintings Gallery

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This gallery exhibits the paintings from the two famous schools of South India – Tanjore and Mysore. The themes are Indian mythology, stories from Indian epics, and various gods and goddesses. The technique for making a Tanjore painting is also displayed with the help of seven paintings.

 

 

Textiles Gallery

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This gallery exhibits the collection of Indian traditional textiles of the later Mughal period. Cotton, silk and woolen textiles which were woven, printed, dyed and embroidered is exhibited in this gallery.

Royal Chamber: This area exhibits the use of textiles used to make a royal chamber. The chamber has an embroidered silk carpet on the floor, a cloth ceiling and printed textiles for the walls. The pillow covers have very minute zari and zardozi work on them.

 

 

Second Floor of National Museum Delhi

Pre-Columbian and Mayan artefacts on the second floor with an anthropological section devoted to tribal artefacts and folk arts. Sharad Rani Bakkiwal Gallery of Musical Instruments: displays over 300 instruments collected by the famous sarod player.

 

Pre-Columbian & Western Arts Gallery

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The collections of this gallery were donated mostly by Mrs. And Mr. Nasli Heeramaneck of USA. These art objects cover the pre 1492 period when Christopher Columbus unknowingly reached present-day USA in search of the new sea route to India and South-Eat Asia. Most of the objects belong to Mexico, Peru, Maya, Inca, the North-West coast of America, Panama, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

 

 

Tribal Lifestyle of North East India Gallery

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This gallery is dedicated to the states of North-East India. Known as the Eight Sisters, the eight states of North East India have a wealth of cultural handicraft, performing arts and unique traditions. This gallery exhibits traditional artefacts such as dresses, apparels, headgears, ornaments, paintings, basketry, wood carvings, smoking pipes and articles of personal adornments of various tribal groups.

 

 

Sharan Rani Bakliwal Musical Instruments Gallery

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The collection on display in the Musical Instrument Gallery was donated to the Museum by Padamshree (Late) Mrs. Sharan Rani Backliwal, India’s Sarod Maestro. This gallery has a collection of musical instruments in tribal, folk and classical groups. There are also a few 19th-century Western instruments. The collection is divided into three parts – wind, string and percussion instruments. This gallery also has a sculpture made of bamboo of Goddess Saraswati playing the Veena.

 

 

Wood Carving Gallery

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The Wood Carving Gallery of the National Museum not only exhibits artefacts from India, but also from Nepal, Central India and Tibet. This gallery gives glimpses of India’s wood carving tradition mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries illustrating the different styles of wood carvings from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orissa and South India.

 

 

Arms and Armour Gallery

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This gallery exhibits arms and armoury from the Stone Age up to the Modern Age. The collection comprises edged weapons, projectiles, smashing weapons, sacrificial and ritual weapons, fire arms, armour for men and animals, ornamental and war accessories. The collection is predominantly Mughal in addition to Maratha, Sikh, Rajput and Hindu arms which are also well represented.

A major highlight of this gallery is the personal sword of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, crafted in 1675 in the Indo-Persian style, which has quotations from the Koran inscribed on it.

 

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Tradition, Art and Continuity Gallery

A gallery with over 200 objects ranging from a wide geographical and social spectrum, acquired from private collectors was added to the museum on February 6, 2014. Various objects on display are a palanquin from the Santhal community, scroll paintings from West Bengal, textiles such as Phulkaris from Punjab and bronze sculptures from Bastar, besides terracotta works and basketry. The gallery is a rich representation of art from various parts of India.

 

 

National Museum Delhi Timings

National Museum Delhi is open from 10am to 5pm daily except Mondays.

 

How to reach National Museum Delhi?

The most affordable and convenient way to get here is to take the Metro to Udyog Bhavan. From there, head south to the roundabout, turn left onto Maulana Azad Road and then left on to Janpath; the National Museum is on the right. Alternatively, you can get a taxi or hire a private car for the day which will drop you right in front of the museum.

 

National Museum Delhi Address

Janpath

New Delhi

India

 

 

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