A Guide To Partition Museum, Amritsar - Updated 2024

Partition Museum
Marga
Marga 
Updated
| 4 min read

India is a proud nation with a rich culture and interesting history. Located in south Asia, India shares not only its border with its neighboring country, Pakistan, but much of its history as well. A defining moment in the shared past of the two countries is the partition. This fateful event that took place in 1947 is British India’s version of the Berlin Wall in Europe or the Korean DMZ in east Asia. The partition divided the then British India into what we now know as India and Pakistan. Though it was a tragic event that tore many families and communities apart, there are lessons that can be learned from it. Because of the partition, in 2017, Partition Museum was established in the city of Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab, near the country’s border with Pakistan. Often called a ‘People’s Museum’, it aims to relive the stories of the victims and serves as a reminder of how such events have massive consequences on the lives of people. If you’re interested in learning more about this newly established museum, check out our guide to Partition Museum, Amritsar.

Things to do/ highlights

Photography is prohibited inside, but I did manage a few shots
Source: Photo by user shankar s. used under CC BY 2.0

Stories of the past

The main goal of Partition Museum is to remember the lives of the people who suffered and were affected by this fateful event of 1947. The partition was orchestrated by a British lawyer, Cyril Radcliffe, and, as a result, British India was divided by a partition line into present-day India and Pakistan. Just like that, overnight, the lives of millions of civilians were drastically turned upside down and it became a truly horrific time for many people.

Partition Museum is the first-ever monument dedicated to this incident. Here, you will get to recall stories of people who were affected by it through audiovisual materials and documentaries on display. Listen to their anecdotes of having to walk on foot for several miles without food and water. Remember those victims who were unjustly attacked and killed while seeking refuge. Watch several videos of the survivors recalling the horrors of the partition. It may be a glum activity to some, but this is how the museum would want to pay homage to all the victims and survivors of the partition and visitors are expected to respect that.

Collections and artifacts

Apart from documentaries and audiovisuals, there are several artefacts on display too. Many of these are things that refugees took with them on their journey, such as bags, coins, necklaces, and pocket watches. You will also find several letters and handwritten diaries that describe life after the partition. A life-size replica of a train station similar to the one that refugees fled to during the incident is also showcased in the museum.

The partition affected not only common civilians but artists as well. There are several art pieces and collections on display at Partition Museum that depict how life was during that time. There are also works from artists such as S.L. Parasher, Arpana Caur, Satish Gujral, and Krishen Khanna, who are all survivors of the partition. They chose to tell their story of the partition through their paintings and art, many of which are on display at the museum.

Towards the end, the museum invites you to write a message on the Tree of Hope, an initiative that will symbolically bring the tree to life.

Visited this place?

Travel tips

Wheelchair accessibility
Source: Pixabay

Respect the message of the museum

Just like tourists are expected to act in a respectful manner at Holocaust Museum, Partition Museum requests its visitors to conduct themselves in a similar manner. Naturally, the memory of the tragic event is very painful for those who have survived it. Partition Museum is a People’s Museum, therefore, it counts on the stories and donations of people, especially the families of those who were affected by it. Learning their stories and remembering those who lost their lives are the best ways to pay your respects. Try to minimize the noise while inside the museum.

Accessibility and restrictions

The museum is wheelchair-friendly and accessible to all. An elevator is available for easier access to different floors of the museum and their collections. Restrooms are also wheelchair-accessible. Guests are encouraged to spend at least one hour to explore the museum and fully appreciate its message. Tourists should also be aware that any form of photography or recording is prohibited inside the museum.

Visited this place?

How to get there

Overall view of the Town Hall- Partition Museum (38938332321)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user shankar s. used under CC BY 2.0

Auto-rickshaw or taxi

Partition Museum is located in the town hall of the city of Amritsar. It is a very busy area filled with tourists, so it will not be difficult to locate it. Taxis and auto-rickshaws available across the city of Amritsar can be easily hired from your accommodation to take you to the museum.

Public transport

The nearest train station to the museum is Amritsar Junction Railway Station. From there you, can hire a taxi or auto-rickshaw for a 10 to 15 minutes ride to the museum.

If you’re taking the local bus, be sure to stop at Madan Lal Dhingra Inter-State Bus Terminal as it only takes 7 to 10 minutes to reach the museum from there.

Visited this place?

How to get tickets

Ticket admission
Source: Pixabay

Partition Museum only sells its tickets on site. Tickets for Indian nationals are charged at 10 INR (less than 1 USD) while foreigners are charged 250 INR (3 USD). Children aged 5 years and below are granted free admission.

You can also check third party websites for combo tickets or admission with car transfers.

Visited this place?

Partition Museum information

A far shot of the Partition Museum, set in the old Town Hall
Source: Photo by user shankar s. used under CC BY 2.0

Partition Museum

Address: Hall Rd, Town Hall, Katra Ahluwalia, Amritsar, Punjab 143006, India

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 6pm (closed on Mon)

Cost: 0.13 USD onwards

Official website: Partition Museum

Department of tourism: Visit Punjab

News and updates for Partition Museum: Amritsar-based Partition Museum to ink pact with Manchester Museum

Visited this place?
partition museum |
Source: www.klook.com

Amritsar Partition Museum Tour

Duration: 3hrsDuration

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Marga is a self-employed aspiring writer and budding artist from the Philippines. On days she's not writing, she paints and creates art which she later sells at craft bazaars. Marga also has...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore The Partition Museum
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.