With its rich and varied history and cultural heritage, it’s not surprising Delhi is home to some of the best museums in the country. From the Indus Valley Civilization to the arrival of different dynasties at different periods of time, to India’s independence history, to science and technology, to masterpieces by some of the greatest artists, the museums in Delhi feature all this and more. Whatever your taste, if it can be displayed, you’ll probably find it somewhere in Delhi. It would be impossible to visit all of them so here’s our pick of the best museums in Delhi, India. Keep reading to learn more.
1. National Museum
Founded in 1949, the National Museum is administered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and is one of the country’s largest museums. Visit this museum to see exhibitions exploring the ancient and modern history and cultural heritage of different parts of the world. Many masterpieces are stored in this museum, including the early Harrapa period treasures like bronze statue of the Dancing Girl, the Priest Head, clay pottery, and the terracotta images of Mother Goddess. Apart from this, there are many miniature paintings, art objects dating back to 1st to 3rd century CE, and artefacts belonging to the major dynasties of India including Mauryas, Satvahanas, Shungas, Guptas, Pallavas, Hoysala, and more. In total, there are more than 200,000 objects that showcase global history and heritage. Make sure to check out the Coins Gallery - it depicts the history of Indian coinage from 6th century BC until the 21st century.
National Museum
Address: Janpath Rd, Rajpath Area, Central Secretariat, New Delhi, Delhi 110011
Website: National Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 6pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 0.3 USD (20 INR) for adults; 9 USD (650 INR) for foreigners (including audio guide)
2. Gandhi Smriti
Gandhi Smriti delves into the life of India’s Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It is one of the most important sites in India as this was the place where Gandhi spent his last days of life before he was assassinated here. Visitors are allowed to take a tour of the building that includes a room where Gandhi lived and the prayer ground where the mass congregation was held every evening. You’ll see his personal items, photographs, and small doll houses complete with terracotta dolls that depict the life of Gandhiji.
Gandhi Smriti
Address: Near Birla House, 5, Tees January Marg, Tees January Road Area, Motilal Nehru Marg Area, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Website: Gandhi Smriti
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: Free entry
3. Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
Step into the former home of India’s only female Prime Minister and check out some of her personal items at Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum. In the garden of the same residence, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguard in 1984 so this place preserves a significant piece of Indian history. Here, you’ll find a range of newspaper articles, photographs, books and other artefacts that inform of Indira Gandhi’s childhood and political activities. There’s also a small section of the museum dedicated to her son Rajiv Gandhi and it contains his personal possessions, awards, and clippings of his funeral pyres.
Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
Address: 1, Safdarjung Rd, Near, Delhi Gymkhana Club, New Delhi, Delhi 110011
Website: Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 9:30am - 4:45pm (closed on Mon)
Price: Free entry
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4. National Gandhi Museum
The National Gandhi Museum chronicles the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi through interesting exhibits. It houses an extensive collection of books, paintings, periodicals, documents and personal objects belonging to Mahatma Gandhi. The library section of the museum is divided into two - one with books written by Gandhi himself, and the other with books about Gandhi. So, if you want to learn more about him, this is the place to be. Make sure to check out his personal belongings that include his walking sticks, body remains like teeth and his ivory toothpick, and the blood-stained shawl and dhoti he wore when he was assassinated. There’s also an art gallery and exhibits dealing with the history of India.
National Gandhi Museum
Address: Opp Raj Ghat, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110002
Website: National Gandhi Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 9:30am - 5:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: Free entry
New Delhi Tour Guide
Rajeev
I am a full-time licensed tour guide living in Agra, India. I received my Regiinal Level Guide certificate in 2007 from the Ministry of Tourism now I have a Pan India license. Before I discovered the tourism industry, I worked in the law, medical and insurance fields. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Biology and Organic Chemistry. After achieving my Masters of Science in Organic Chemistry, I went to law school. My passion for history and culture led me to my profession today. I still enjoy learning science. I use it to understand the healing power of plants: mainly herbs, fruits and vegetables. My hobbies include collecting postage stamps, coins, paper money, reading, music, and of course, gardening. I also love photography, which I have become very good at. Many tourists have enjoyed my personal sightseeing tours. I enjoy meeting people and showing them my world. My lifelong experiences here, combined with my studies, allow me to help people get to know the real India. If you enjoy learning about this way of life, I am the one to come to! I work mainly in Agra, but will create tours to places outside of the city. While my tours are mostly walking tours around the city, I can arrange for transportation as well. If you need accommodation services, I can provide that too. Traveling to India is not just a journey, but an experience!
Tours by Rajeev
New Delhi Tour Guide
Farman Guia Turstico
Hello Travellers people calle me Farman a experienced freelance tour guide. I work with several Free Tours company and we would love to show you around and give you the best tips and recomendations. If you travel in India you will discover a new aspect of this wonderful city. If it is your first visit i warn you one thing: you will fall in love in love with India and you will end up coming back.
Tours by Farman guia turstico
New Delhi Tour Guide
Zeeshan Ali
Namaste!! I Take privilege to share about myself. My name is Zeeshan. I was born and raised in the rich history of India, in the Beautiful City of Agra, I had no Doubts to become a Tour Guide because I couldn't stop myself been attracted towards the charm for History & Architecture of monuments located at Agra from my childhood. I Chose to become a Tour Guide to fulfill my Passion & to learn, share about the Customs, Tradition, Culture, History & Architecture of my Incredible Country which has a Unity in Diversity. I am 34 years old and 14 of them I Dedicated as a Tour Guide. I am Educated, Professional, Sociable, Punctual & friendly. I can interest you by presenting interesting facts about India. I always take into account the wishes of my Clients and create individual plans of Excursion. I help my Clients in choosing the Best Stops, Stores, Cafes & transfers. I did my Masters in Indian History (Medieval Period). I believe my Journey has just begun as I discovered an enormous amount of knowledge of History, Architecture & Culture of North India by reading & Travelling So I am very Well Versed to Deliver the Tour just like a local. I consider myself a Professional in this field, I am happy that my clients take their India Tour Memories as an Experience to Cherish it throughout their lives. In easy words, you can travel with me like an old family friend from India.
5. National Rail Museum
Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest railway networks, with a rich history that dates back nearly 170 years. For anyone with an interest in railways and learning about its role in India, the National Rail Museum is the place to hit. The museum features the history and significance of Indian railways through indoor and outdoor exhibits. Highlights include models of luxury trains like Fairy Queen and Kalka-Shimla Rail, steam and electric locomotives, and saloon cars of the Maharaja of Mysore, Indore, and the Prince of Wales. You can hop on a toy train and take a tour of the life-size exhibits of trains.
National Rail Museum
Address: Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi 110021
Website: National Rail Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 0.15 USD (10 INR) - 1.5 USD (100 INR)
6. National Gallery of Modern Art
Established in 1954, the National Gallery of Modern Art in Jaipur House is one of the leading and most prestigious galleries in India. The space houses a wide range of media from paintings to sculptures, photographs, and portraits are on display. These include works by well-known local and international artists like Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gill, Lala Deen Dayal, D.P. Roy Choudhary, Raja Ravi Verma, Thomas Daniell, and more. Regular exhibitions by current and up-and-coming artists are also held here. The museum also has a conservation lab, an auditorium, academic section, library, a preview theatre, a shop, and a cafeteria.
National Gallery of Modern Art
Address: Shershah Road Near India Gate Jaipur House, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
Website: National Gallery of Modern Art
Opening hours: Tues - Sun: 11am - 6:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 0.30 USD (20 INR) - 7 USD (500 INR)
7. National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum
If you’re interested in traditional arts and crafts work of India, then there is no better place in Delhi than the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum. Also known as the National Crafts Museum, it features more than 35,000 pieces of art and craft work. From Indian textiles and embroidery to paintings, crafts of wood, clay and stone, tribal and rural craft, the museum has it all. Highlights include Karnataka’s Bhoota collection, Chamba-made handkerchiefs, rare 300-year-old Kashmiri dushalas, Baluchari saris, and more. Apart from displaying different handicrafts and textiles, another appealing characteristic of the museum is the 5-acre (2 ha) village complex comprised of traditional houses from different states of India. Also, the museums allow a few craftsmen from around the country to showcase their artistry and sell their products at the museum’s courtyard. Feeling peckish? Head to Cafe Lota on site. It serves Indian food and is a favorite haunt of artsy folks.
National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum
Address: Pragati Maidan Bhairon Marg, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Website: National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum
Opening hours: Tues - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 0.3 USD (20 INR) - 3 USD (200 INR)
8. National Science Centre
The National Science Centre is a popular museum that portrays the science and technology heritage of India, with many interactive exhibits on display. The museum has eight exhibition galleries that focus on a wide range of topics including energy, nuclear power, human biology, fundamentals of science, information revolution, emerging technologies, water, and more. Make time to see the exhibit ‘Water-The Elixir of Life’, which is aimed to create awareness about water scarcity across the world.
National Science Centre
Address: Bhairon Marg, Near Gate No.1, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Website: National Science Centre
Opening hours: 9:30am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 0.070 USD (5 INR) - 0.70 USD (50 INR)
9. Shankar's International Dolls Museum
Founded by an acclaimed political cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai, the Shankar’s International Dolls Museum exhibits a huge collection of dolls - nearly 6,500 - from all over the world and throughout the ages. One day when Pillai was returning back to India, he was gifted a doll by a Hungarian envoy and he was captivated by the expressions, costume, and various materials used in making that doll. This sparked his interest in dolls and he started collecting them. Apparently, during one of his exhibitions, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter visited him, and after the latter was inspired by the collection, the Doll Museum was set up. The collection is classified into two sections - one consists of dolls from the European nations, while the other from India, Middle East, Asian, and African countries. Make sure to check out the 150 different types of Indian costume dolls - this is perhaps the centrepiece of the museum.
Shankar's International Dolls Museum
Address: ITO, 4, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Beside Central Bank, Nehru House, New Delhi, Delhi 110002
Website: Shankar’s International Dolls Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 0.070 USD (5 INR) - 0.35 USD (25 INR)
10. Indian Air Force Museum
The Indian Air Force Museum has an indoor and outdoor gallery with exhibits tracing the history and development of the Indian Air Force. The indoor gallery contains uniforms, weapons, photos, and memorabilia, while the outdoor gallery feature aircraft, enemy vehicles, radar equipment, and more. There’s also a souvenir shop on the premises. This museum is living history, up close and personal.
Indian Air Force Museum
Address: Palam, New Delhi, Delhi 110010
Website: Indian Air Force Museum
Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
Price: Free entry
11. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Time Magazine voted Sulabh International Museum of Toilets as one of the weirdest museums in the world and the museum took it as a compliment. Founded in 20th century by social activist Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the museum highlights the history and development of the toilet system in India and also raises awareness about India’s sanitation problems. The bizarre but fun displays will educate you on the history of toilets. The museum also has a collection of poems based on toilets.
Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
Address: Sulabh Bhawan, RZ-83, Palam - Dabri Marg, Mahavir Enclave, New Delhi, Delhi 110045
Website: Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 8am - 8pm, Sun: 10am - 5pm
Price: Free entry
Tip from Trip101 local expert
Another museum to visit is the Museum of Illusion! This unique museum offers an immersive and interactive experience, blending art, science, and psychology to create mind-bending illusions and optical wonders.
Throughout the museum, there are numerous interactive exhibits and mind games. The illusions will appeal to both kids and adults. The museum tour lasts one hour and is paid activity. My favorite was the 'Vortex Tunnel'.
The staff at the museum were friendly and helpful, and they eagerly snapped pictures for everyone. We visited on a Sunday and the place was extremely crowded. Many were denied entry. Thankfully I had pre-booked our tickets! So my tip to anyone visiting the museum: book your tickets online in advance.
Go museum-hopping in Delhi
Delhi is home to a plethora of museums that excel in preserving and describing the country’s diverse history, art, and culture. While there are a lot of iconic institutions to explore, we’ve rounded up the best and must-visit museums in Delhi. Check out our above list.
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