MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
1. National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
Located in a purpose-built structure, the National Gallery of Modern Art houses works dating from 1857 to the present. Among them are a good selection of miniatures, East India Company Art and works by classic Orientalist artists such as Thomas Daniell, plus a collection of works by the Bengali artist Nandalal Bose.
2. National Museum
The National Museum is an obligatory stop on any tour of Delhi’s museums. It has a superb array of exhibits covering every epoch in the country’s history, ranging from priceless Harappan artifacts through to Chola bronzes and Mughal miniatures.
3. National Gandhi Museum
The city’s second Gandhi museum is close to Raj Ghat where the body of Father of the Nation was cremated. Exhibits on display include Gandhi’s memorabilia and that of his wife, plus six telephones on which visitors can listen to his famous speeches in Hindi and English.
4. National Philatelic Museum
Heaven for stamp enthusiasts, the National Philatelic Museum holds a copy of every Indian stamp produced since Independence (around 1,700 issues), as well as an interesting selection of international stamps and the personal belongings of a mid-19th-century postman.
5. Crafts Museum
This museum is another of Delhi’s must-see cultural attractions, showcasing a variety of artifacts inspired by the country’s indigenous folk-art traditions. Exhibits include detailed ivory carvings, as well as a vast collection of textiles and fabrics and Hindu bronzes, while outside in the grounds you can see a set of traditional buildings from all around India.
6. National Rail Museum
India’s love affair with the railway is celebrated in this fine museum containing assorted antique steam engines and opulent carriages, including those once belonging to the maharajas of Mysore and Baroda, and the Prince of Wales.
Antique train at National Rail Museum
7. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
Mahavir Enclave, Palam Dabri Marg • 2503 1518 • Uttam Nagar East Metro • Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat • www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org
Although this museum may sound like a joke, it has quite a serious purpose, being part of the neo-Gandhian Sulabh International Movement, which aims to promote public hygiene, with many displays on lavatorial habits.
Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
8. Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Museum
Teen Murti House, formerly called Flagstaff House, was built in 1930 as the residence of the British military commander-in-chief and later became home to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964). There’s a library, and a few photographs and newspaper cuttings on display, but the main attraction is the house (see Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Museum) itself, including rooms left exactly as they were when Nehru lived here.
9. Gandhi Smriti
Formerly known as Birla House, this Neo-Classical mansion is where Gandhi (1869–1948) spent the last 144 days of his life. Displays include a touching collection of the Mahatma’s personal belongings, such as the watch he was wearing when he was assasinated, which stopped at the moment of his death.
Gandhi Smriti, where Gandhi spent the last days of his life
10. Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
This museum is the former home of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1917–84), who was assassinated in the garden here by two of her Sikh bodyguards. The absorbing exhibits include personal belongings and photos, plus a section devoted to her son Rajiv (1944–91), including the shoes he was wearing when he was killed by Tamil separatists in 1991.
Exhibits at Indira Gandhi Memorial
