18 most popular museums delhi
Delhi is the second home for the ones who are inquisitive to know about the culture, glories of past, interesting facts, legacy, political structures and heritage of this iconic nation. Several museums in Delhi are going to give the best experience altogether, all you need to do is take out your pen, open your journal, scroll down the list and mark your must-visit museums to put on your itinerary and explore them in your Dilli tour.
Popular Museums Delhi
1. National Museum, Delhi
One of the largest museums of India, National Museum is a soul that is continually preserving and maintaining our country’s old culture, history and archaeological backgrounds. There is a profusion of 200,000 works that covers the antiquities from 4th and 5th century Bc, Ivory sculptures, displayed the best pieces of Chola bronze Including Nataraja, a room full of Budhha sculptures depicting his relics, ivory sculptures , Tanjore Paintings, and an incredible Harappa’s dancing girl from the Indus valley civilization, and you know it, that’s something we call it next level collected stuff!
Location – Rajpath Crossing, Janpath
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings – 10 A.M to 5 P.M
Entry Fee – INR 20 for Indians, INR 500 for Foreigners ( Addition Camera Charges Rs. 20 for Indians and Rs. 300 for Foreigners)
Nearest Metro Station – Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan Metro Station
2. National Rail Museum
For the ones, who still call themselves as we are “kid at heart”, Hey!National Rail museum will throw you back to the time when you used to make your own rail ’s, holding your friend’s back and stroll in our area. This is the exclusive place for the little munchkins, to fill their heart with joy in fascinating toy train rides.Indeed this the place, where they remember about the brilliant train models, engines, because of their practical experience. The museum holds the exotic collection of over 100 real size trains of great Indian Railways since 1977. That includes the large selection of Steam Locomotive made of Iron and Steel, Fairy Queen( oldest working steam locomotive), India’s First electric locomotive, Saloon of Maharaja of Mysore, etc. Also, the museums organize summer camps, vintage car rally, celebrate museum day and other activities for the visitors.
Location– Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings– 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Entry Fee – Adults INR -20, Children INR -5, Toy Train Ride INR 20/10 for Adults and Kids respectively
Nearest Metro Station – Race Course metro station.
3. National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum
So here it is, a phenomenal place for the art and culture lovers. This museum in Delhi is designed between 1975 and 1990 by the architect Charles Correa. And there is a huge collection of numerous traditional crafts, wooden sculptures, folk paintings, crafts of clay, handmade pieces of jewellery, from Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, handkerchiefs from Chamba known for their unique embroidery, puppets, dokra art, etc. Shopaholics can take away the Indian material stuff related to home décor, handbags, clothing, kitchen essentials from the stalls. The highlight of the museum is the occasional performance of folk and art dance.Also, One can spot an excellent food joint, Café Lota that provides its seasonal menu for the visitors.
Location– Pragati Maidan Bhairon Marg, New Delhi
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings– 10 am to 5 pm
Entry Fee – No Fee
Nearest Metro Station –Pragati Maidan metro station.
4. National Gandhi Museum
Gandhi Ji, an epitome for the contribution to the freedom of India, his tales of glories, personal belongings ( spectacles, even two of his teeth), dhoti, shawl, all, are showcased in the National Gandhi Museum. The museum is divided into 5 pavilions, comprise of paintings, a gallery full of photographs ( from his birth to his assassination), sculptures, his well- said sayings, and history of Satyagraha movement as well as the prominent Ahinsa (non-violence) movement. Lastly, one can visit the room too, where Gandhi Ji’s dhoti with his blood stains and the bullets were recovered from his body after assassination were displayed.
Location– Rajghat, New Delhi
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings– 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Entry Fee – No Fee
Nearest Metro Station –New Delhi metro station / Kashmiri gate metro station
5. Indian Air Force Museum
This museum is itself is a glory of the nation. This Museum preserves the rich history of Indian Airforce and keeps track of historical events of the past 15 years. At the entrance of the museum, the visitor can go in wonder after seeing the indoor gallery that contains historic photographs, memorabilia, uniforms and personal weapons, Anti Aircraft Guns, Ordnance, of the Indian Air Force from its inception in 1932. An adjoining hangar gives the delight of looking at the actual aircraft of different periods. Then outdoor gallery contains the giant aircrafts , various war trophies, radar equipment, captured enemy vehicles, etc. It’s a pretty bare bone, you know! The aircrafts were displayed only on the annual Airforce Day. And one can check out the small souvenirs shops, where one can buy T-Shirts, Key Chains, Postal Covers, Bottle Openers and even Chinaware!
Location– Palam Air Force Station
Days Opened – Wednesday to Sunday
Timings– 10 AM- 5 PM
Entry Fee – No Fee
Nearest Metro Station –Dwarka Sector 21 metro station
6. Shankar’s International Dolls Museum
Wonderland for little girls, this museum is mind – blowing to experience with or without children. The museum has an exclusive collection of over 65,000 dolls from all around the world. These dolls wonderfully showcase the cultures, traditions, rituals, clothing of the different places and moreover, of 85 countries, divided into two sections. One section displays Europe, Australia, New Zealand, U.s, and other one unveil the Asian Countries, Africa, China, India, Middle East etc. Its’ a one of its kind of museum, you will definitely not going to find it anywhere! Visit it with your kids; they are going to relish the amazement done by the famous cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai.
Location– Nehru House, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings– 10 AM- 6 PM
Entry Fee – Adult INR 15, Children INR-5
Nearest Metro Station – JK Tyre ITO Metro Station
7. Ghalib Museum
This Property calls themselves as a “Mid-scale hotel for business or family trips” acquainted with Accour group. With 400 rooms, there is an availability of 340 non-smoking rooms. The rooms are spacious, contemporary in design and a perfect place where all your necessities get fulfilled.
In the Case of cuisines, there are two perfect restaurants and bar, at Food Exchange, there is an international cuisine available offering both Indian and European delicacies with an ideal blend of exemplary chic ambience. And to enjoy the modern bar, Novotel presents exquisite wines, cocktails and beverages with the newfangled interior at Quoin. At Novotel your stay is going to be worth each penny, their service to provide customer satisfaction is superlativeGhalib Museum, it’s a more like a paradise for the Urdu lovers and the fanatic of ‘Ghalib Sahab’! Well, the museum is located on the third floor of the Ghalib Academy and was opened in 1969 on the on the occasion of the Ghalib Centenary. Pictures of the Ghalib’s residence, his attires, food habits, his specimen of handwritings, his poetry and calligraphy, letters, were preserved there. His aura can be felt as you enter the museum. There are coins, postage stamps, seals were housed from the Mughal era. Also, the collection of conventional artists, M.F Hussain, Anis Farooqui, Satish Gujral, paintings and pieces are the attraction of this museum.
Location– Nizamuddin West
Days Opened – Monday to Saturday
Timings– 10 AM- 6 PM
Entry Fee – No Fee
Nearest Metro Station – Chandni Chowk, metro station
8. National Science Center Museum
A part of National Council of science museums, this is the first museum in Delhi under this council. No doubt, it can be counted as an educational hub too, exciting exhibitions of models, charts and other scientific displays, discoveries and facts create an ideal way of practical learning for students. One can enjoy the physics experiments, or visit the room full of printers, old movie cameras, communication through morse code setup, or check out the evolution of computers. Do try to watch the specialized 3D show. An entire place that exhibits spans over 4 floors, and where you can attain abundance of knowledge and have fun at the same time, must be there in your checklist!
Location – Bhairon Road, Pragati Maidan
Days Opened – All Days
Timings – 10 AM- 5:30 PM
Entry Fee – Adult INR-50, Students INR-10.
Nearest Metro Station – Pragati Maidan,metro station
9. Indian War Memorial Museum
Well renowned for unveiling the Military History of India, Indian War Memorial Museum is located on the first and second floor of the Naubatkhana of Redford. Collection of 1st and 2nd world war left antiques, old British era armoury, and galleries reveal the details about military history. Several badges, ribbons, the uniform of Turkish and New Zealand army officers, and flags are showcased here. Not only this, Items displayed in the museum is a Diorama of the battle of Panipat, which helped Babur to establish Mughal Empire in India. Further other objects like daggers, gupti (traditional weapon), arms, and helmets were placed too. The emergence of industrialization discovered new weapons such as grenades and machine guns. Also, the attire of the Maharaja Pratap Singh of Idar is showcased wholelly with kurta, belt, trouser, zari turban, shoes and sword inscribed his name and lastly sheath.
Location– Red Fort
Days Opened – Monday to Thursday, Saturday -Sunday
Timings– 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – INR-5 For Indians, INR-100 For foreigners.
Nearest Metro Station – Kashmiri gate/Chandni Chowk.
10. National Philatelic Museum
The brilliant execution of featuring stamps of different eras. A place must visit to gain the supreme knowledge about the Philatelic history of India and world at large. Since the first stamp issued in India by the Sindh Dak (1854), and before the Independence of Princely States, or of different governing bodies, ending till 2014. It depicts the incredible journey and the growth of Indian Postal Services over more than 100 years. A vast collection of stamps dedicated to Children, Cinema legends, Exotic places, Government services, Animals species, Modern India, Lakes, Kings & emperors, Armed forces, Poets, various other professions were present.A souvenir store in a corner is also there where you can buy card holders, pens, catalogues, mugs etc.
Location– Dak Bhavan, Sardar Patel Chowk, Sansad Marg
Days Opened – Monday to Friday
Timings– 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – No fee
Nearest Metro Station – Patel Chowk metro station
11. National Gallery of Modern Art
A big shootout to Art Lovers! If you have not visited National Gallery of Modern Art yet, visit tomorrow, or definitely mark this as a first place to visit. It’s one of the world’s largest modern art museum to visit in Delhi.They have preserved the works of contemporary art from the 1850s onward, and it is a place where you can find more than 14,000 works by renowned and well respected Indian artist, such as Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, and Amrita Sher-Gil and foreign artists all under the one roof. The way they are exteriorized on every wall of white- creamish background is so subtle and fantastic that one cannot stop to come to this place over and over again.
Location– Jaipur House, Sher shah Road, Near India Gate, New Delhi
Days Opened – Monday to Friday
Timings– 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – no fee
Nearest Metro Station – Patel Chowk metro station
12. National Police Museum
A big shootout to Art Lovers! If you have not visited National Gallery of Modern Art yet, visit tomorrow, or definitely mark this as a first place to visit. It’s one of the world’s largest modern art museum to visit in Delhi.They have preserved the works of contemporary art from the 1850s onward, and it is a place where you can find more than 14,000 works by renowned and well respected Indian artist, such as Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, and Amrita Sher-Gil and foreign artists all under the one roof. The way they are exteriorized on every wall of white- creamish background is so subtle and fantastic that one cannot stop to come to this place over and over again.
Location – Jaipur House, Sher shah Road, Near India Gate, New Delhi
Days Opened – Monday to Friday
Timings – 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – no fee
Nearest Metro Station – Patel Chowk metro station
13. Zakir Hussain Museum
This museum is like a tribute to the former 3rd president of India, Dr.Zakir Hussain. It has become one of the most attractive tourist places for the visitors. The museum was established in 1972 where you can find his belongings, and some quirky geological specimens too. Also, you can spot the memorabilia, souvenirs and photographs and the Bharat Ratna Award that he has received, definitely an epitome of his feat as India’s one of the prominent president. Well, this museum is located at the very well known campus of the Jamia Milia Islamia University.
Location – Campus of the Jamia Milia Islamia University.
Days Opened – Monday to Thursday and Sat -Sunday
Timings– 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – No fee
Nearest Metro Station – Central Secretariat
14. Red Fort Archaeological Museum
Also known as Palace Museum, is now located at Mumtaz Mahal in Red Fort. The archaeological museum is like a home to paintings, artefacts, calligraphy, fabrics and other objects of the Mughal era, and now it comes under the aegis of the Archaeological Survey of India. This museum has the vast treasures from the time of Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the arms and maps used by Nawab of Pataudi. Also, an ivory miniature painting said to be of Zinat Mahal and a portrait of a photograph of the last days of Bahadur Shah when he was prisoned at Rangoon are also displayed. The gems of pieces written by Mirza Ghalib and Bahadur Shah letters to Queen Victoria are also preserved there. It’s a whole casket of historical pearls, beautifully placed in a shell of red sandstone!
Location – Red Fort, Mumtaz Mahal
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings – 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – No fee
Nearest Metro Station – Kashmiri gate/ Chandni Chowk
15. Sanskriti Museums
A set of three museums inside the Sanskriti Museum is again a big call out to the Art lovers! “The Museums of Everyday Art”, “ Museum of Indian Terracotta “ and “Textiles Museum “ they all together make a hub for the of art and craft traditions of India, and particularly of terracotta, textiles and everyday objects as well. In ‘ Museum of Everyday Art’ they present the buoyant imagination and aesthetic creativity of craftspeople of India , and in ‘ Museum of Indian terracotta’ we can see the first creative expression of civilization, specially the Terracotta art ( earthen pot art) and similarly in ‘Textile Museum ‘ they have displayed the selected traditions of Indian textiles. Also, it has become a pool of academic study and research.
Location– Mehrauli- Gurgaon road
Days Opened –Tuesday to Sunday
Timings– 10 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – no fee
Nearest Metro Station – Huda city centre
16. National Children Museum
Among all the heritage, and historical artefacts this museum is exclusive for children to enhance their creativity, also to educate them about the Indian art, tradition, culture and achievements in the field of Science and Technology through the audio-visual shows. Many sections like “Gaurav Gatha” deals with Indian Civilization, and the “Sun gallery “teaches about the solar system, its phenomena and its religious effect around the world. The exhibition corner in this Museum displays works of art from Jawahar Bal Bhawan and Bal Bhawan Kendras.
Location – 1. Kotla Road, Sector 11
Days Opened –Tuesday to Sunday
Timings -9 AM- 5:00 PM
Entry Fee – No fee
Nearest Metro Station – Central Secretariat
17. Nehru Museum and Planetarium
Situated at Teen Murti Bhavan, the official residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and now a museum in his memory. This Museum is always active for students of school and colleges organizes specific programs, for amateur astronomers too. Nehru Planetarium disseminates the knowledge and information about celestial bodies, Universe, stars, galaxies, comets, planets, and astronomy and assembles some shows like, “Ultimate Universe”, “ New Solar System “ and “Astronaut”, it enlightens the visitors about the strange mysteries of the sky. Within the serene beauty of lush green gardens, this place is a must visit to educate yourself in the pleasant ambience.
Location – Teen Murti House, Teen Murti Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Days Opened – Tuesday to Sunday
Timings – 11:30 A.m to 5:00 pm
Entry Fee – Adults – INR 50.0 per person, INR 30.0 per child for children (between 4 – 12 years), INR 20.0 per person for school students.
Nearest Metro Station – Race Course Metro Station
18. Sulab International Museum of toilets
Places in Delhi are as crazy as Delhi-ites. Yes ! you heard it right… out of all museums, this is highly exceptional creativity to open a Toilet Museum. Well, they have kept the stock of interesting facts and anecdotes associated with the development of toilets. Visitors can find three sections Ancient, Medieval, and modern, yeah ! from Harappan – Mohenjodaro civilization to Mughal period till 21st century ’s reputed sanitaryware manufacturing companies Toilets all are available at the display. And apart from providing the history of the toilets it has some good quotes of toilet humour too!
Location – RZ-83, Sulabh Bhawan, Palam Dabri Road, Mahavir Enclave, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, New Delhi,
Days Opened – All days opened
Timings – 8 am to 8 pm (Sunday 10 am -5 pm)
Entry Fee – No fee
Nearest Metro Station – Sec 10 Dwarka Metro Station
