Top 5 museum in Chennai that will give you the glimpse of the past

 The whole post is written by blogger king


8 Best Museums in Chennai

1. Vintage Camera Museum

Vintage Camera Museum, Chennai
Vintage Camera Museum, Chennai [Source: LBB]

If photography is your hobby or passion, this place is for you. Located on the East Coast Road area, Vintage Camera Museum is a treasure trove of more than 1500 cameras on display that have been collected since 1997. An interesting fact about this museum, which makes it one of the best museums in Chennai, is that Dr AV Arun (a dentist by profession) was the one who started this museum.

The museum showcases nostalgic images of Chennai from the 1960s & 70s, and the collection of cameras range from the Meagher film camera of 1870 (the oldest model in the museum) to the modern-day high-end digital cameras. The museum also accepts camera donations from visitors to add to its impeccable collection, so in case you wish to spare one, this is the best place to do so.

  • Timings of Vintage Camera Museum: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
  • Entry fee: Rs 100
  • Location: East Coast Road, Kovalam

Must Read: The Complete List of Important Museums in India

2. Government Museum

The Government Museum, Chennai, best museums in Chennai
The Government Museum, Chennai [Source – India’s Invitation]

The Government Museum is a huge repository of ancient antiquities and artefacts of Tamil Nadu displayed across 46 galleries. It is located close to Egmore Railway Station and is a great place for anyone who wants to spend time learning about Tamil Nadu’s history and rich heritage. One of the largest and famous museums in Chennai, the Government Museum has a total of 6 buildings with different galleries dedicated to the pre-historic period, anthropology, archaeology, and numismatics sections. It also has a magnificent art section and a children’s museum for kids.

The pre-historic gallery houses armours, ornaments, coins, pottery, and also depicts the lifestyle of human beings of the Paleolithic era. The art section boasts of masterpieces painted by Raja Ravi Varma and also has numerous traditional, Tanjore, Mughal & Rajput paintings. The kids’ section has a science gallery, dolls gallery etc to keep them engaged.

  • Timings of The Government Museum: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Entry fee: Indians – Adults – Rs 15, children – 10; Foreigners – Adults – Rs 250, Children – 125; Still camera – Rs 200, video camera – Rs 500;
  • Location: Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai

Must Read: List of 15 Fun Places in Chennai That Shouldn’t Be Missed

3. Dakshinachitra

Dakshinachitra Museum, famous museums in Chennai
Dakshinachitra Museum

If you are intrigued by the South Indian culture and lifestyle and wish to witness it up close, Dakshina Chitra museum is the place to go. One of the best museums in Chennai, it is considered an excellent living-history museum in Tamil Nadu. Structured in the form of a heritage village, Dakshina Chitra depicts the art, architecture, culture and dwelling style of the people in South India.

For instance, to depict how Brahmins lived in the olden days, the museum has built Agraharas inside its premises. In the artefacts collections, the museum preserves textiles used, utensils and daily use articles of the past, murals that were hung in the houses and woven mats used for sitting and sleeping in the olden days. For housing all these, Dakshina Chitra is also considered one of the famous art museums in Chennai as well.

  • Timings of Dakshina Chitra Museum: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry fee: Adults – Rs 100, Students – Rs 50, children – Rs 30
  • Location: East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Chennai

Must Read: 27 Alluring Places to Visit in Chennai with Family

4. Fort St George Museum

Fort St George Museum, Chennai, best museums in Chennai
Fort St George Museum

Fort St George Museum houses more than 3000 antique articles from various stages of the modern historical era and is undoubtedly one of the best museums in Chennai to visit. Segmented into 3 floors with a total of 10 galleries, Fort St George Museum showcases several indigenous weapons, varied collection of armours, collection of shells fired during World Wars I & II, uniforms of the British Army and more.

The museum also has a wealthy collection of Porcelain articles which includes tableware and other articles used in the age of the East India Company. A separate Portrait Gallery in the museum is dedicated to lifesize portraits of Queen Victoria, Robert Clive and other eminent British officials. Fort St George is the best museum in Chennai to visit if you wish to get a glimpse of the British Raj in India.

  • Timings of Fort St George Museum, Chennai: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Entry fee: Indians – Rs 5, Foreigners- Rs 100;
  • Location: Beach Road, Chennai

Must Read: 23 Things Chennai Is Famous For

5. Regional Railway Museum

Regional Railway Museum, Chennai, best museums in Chennai
Regional Railway Museum, Chennai

Akin to the Rail Museum, among other museums in Delhi, Chennai also has a Regional Railway Museum showcasing the heritage and evolution of Indian Railways. An amazing site to visit for all travellers touring Chennai with family or friends, the Regional Railway Museum enthrals one and all with its varied collection of steam engines operated during the British era.

Apart from these, the museum also has live models of meter gauge electric trains, Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, Nilgiris Mountain Railways and various other engines that were used before the modern-day engines came into operation. If you are a rail-fan and love to learn about Indian Railways, this is one of the best museums in Chennai to visit. The museum also offers a joy ride in a toy train to kids and also has images of high-speed trains from various countries in the world.

  • Timings of Regional Rail Museum: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Entry fee: Rs 30 per person;
  • Location: ICF Furnishing Road, Anna Nagar, Chennai

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