musemus, visit to museum

National Museum
The National Museum, located on Janpath, south of Rajpath, has a good collection of Indian bronzes, terracotta and wood sculptures dating back to the Mauryan period ( 2nd-3rd century BC), exhibits from the Vijayanagar period in south India, miniature and mural paintings, and costumes of various tribal people. The museum is definitely worth visiting and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. There are film shows most days of the week.

National Gallery Of Modern Art
The gallery near India Gate at the eastern end of Rajpath, was the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur . It houses an excellent collection of works by both Indian and colonial artists.It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm; admission is free.

Nehru Museum
The residence of the first Indian Prime Minister, Teen Murti Bhavan, has been converted into a museum. It is located on Teen Murti Rd. near Chanakyapuri.
Photographs and newspaper clippings on display give a fascinating insight into the history of the independence movement. It also forms the subject of a light and sound show along with facets of Nehru's life.The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.

Rail Transport Museum
Visit this museum at Chanakyapuri for a fascinating and exotic collection of India's railway engines. Exhibit's include an 1855 steam engine, still in working order, and a large number of oddities such as the skull of an elephant that charged a mail train in 1894, and lost. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30 am to 5 pm and there's a small admission fee.

Tibet House
This small museum in the Institutional Area, Lodi Rd, has a fascinating collection of ceremonial items brought out of Tibet when the Dalai Lama fled following the Chinese occupation. There is a shop selling a wide range of Tibetan handicrafts. Lecture/discussion sessions are held regularly. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm. Admission is free.

International Dolls Museum
6000 dolls from 85 countries are on display in this museum in Nehru House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. Over a third of them are from India. One exhibit section comprises 500 dolls dressed in costumes worn all over the country. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5.30 pm.

Crafts Museum
This museum contains a collection of traditional Indian crafts in textiles, metal, wood and ceramics. It is located in the Aditi Pavilion at the Pragati Maidan Exhibition Grounds, Mathura Rd. It is part of a 'village life' complex where you can visit rural India without ever leaving Delhi. Admission is free.

Gandhi Darshan
Located at Raj Ghat, the Gandhi Darshan is a display of paintings and photos about the Mahatma's life and deeds. The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, also at Raj Ghat, has displays of some of Gandhi's personal possessions.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
This museum was the former residence of Indira Gandhi at 1 Safdarjang Rd. On show are some of her personal effects, including the sari (complete with blood stains) that she was wearing at the time of her assassination. A crystal plaque in the garden, flanked constantly by two soldiers, protects a few brown spots of Mrs Gandhi's blood on the spot where she actually fell after being shot by two of her bodyguards in December 1984.

Nehru Planetarium
Situated at Teen Murti House the planetarium holds film shows on the solar system in English (11.30 a.m. & 3 p.m.) and Hindi (4 p.m.& 1.30 p.m.). A special show in Hindi (10.30 a.m.) is held on Sundays. Closed on Mondays and public holidays.

National Science Centre Museum
Located near Gate No.1, Pragati Maidan,the museum has working science exhibitions as well as exhibits on the history of architecture. Open 11.30 am – 7 pm. Entry free. Mondays closed.

National Children's Museum
Kerala Road, 9 a.m.—12 noon, 2 p.m. –5 pm. Tel: 3317856.