Bangalore is known for many things – its gardens, its pleasant weather, its many pubs, its thriving nightlife, its startup-friendly infrastructure – the list is scarily long. Among the several reasons it’s known for, Bangalore isn’t exactly the most popular for its collection of museums.
‘Oh, that’s because Bangalore doesn’t have any good museums!’
And that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Bangalore, a city teeming with life and culture, is just a decade shy of turning 500 years old! This means that it has tons of legends and history under its belt, and the proof to go along with it. Bangalore is home to a good number and variety of museums across historical, art and cultural themes. Add to this, at nearly every corner stands a temple, a market or a landmark with an impressive legacy, making Bangalore akin to an open museum itself! Here are some popular museums and galleries in the city.
Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technical Museum
If you gained your middle school education in Bangalore, you’re probably well acquainted with the Visvesvaraya Museum on Kasturba Road. If not, there’s no time like the present to hit this museum up because it displays some fascinating technical inventions and exhibits – from electronics and biotechnology to space science and locomotives!
Government Museum
Everything about this museum, from its location in Cubbon Park to its contents, is worthy of repeat visits, especially since entry costs just 20 bucks! It’s the second oldest museum in South India and is home to a phenomenal collection of archaeological pieces like the first ever recorded Kannada inscription, coins, paintings, pottery and other artefacts.
National Gallery of Modern Art
NGMA in Vasantnagar is one of the three National Galleries in India, the other two being in Mumbai and New Delhi. Tucked away from the bustle of the city, in the 100-year-old heritage Manikyavelu Mansion belonging to the mining baron Manikyavelu Mudaliar, NGMA boasts some impressive art pieces across traditional, modern and post-modern works.
Museum of Communication
Aptly named Sandesh (meaning communication), the museum is housed in a 200-year-old heritage building and is a jewel in the Postal Department’s crown. It’s fairly new, but its collection spans hundreds of years. You will find items that showcase the evolution of postal communication in the country, stamps from over a hundred years, a telegraph machine, a Morse transmitter and even a letter from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, telling the Indian Civil Service that he’s ‘putting down his papers’!
Museum of Art & Photography
MAP is shiny and new, a private museum in the heart of Bangalore that gives visitors a glimpse into the culture and arts across eras – from the 10th century to modern times. What makes MAP special is its emphasis on accessibility and democratization of art. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the museum building has a fine dining restaurant in it!
Brain Museum
If the smell of formaldehyde makes you nostalgic for your school’s biology labs, you will feel right at home in the NIMHANS Brain Museum, where over 400 brain specimens in different conditions are on display. It’s an otherworldly experience else to get so up close and personal with the most important organ of the human body, especially since you never get to see your own.
Indian Music Experience Museum
India’s music is a case study in diversity, and the IME aims to inculcate an appreciation for and understanding of Indian music with its interactive experiences, courtesy of the multi-sensory exhibits it houses. Also, take a look at the myriad of musical instruments while learning about their fascinating history.
Indian Cartoon Gallery
If you love all things cartoons, head to this gallery on M.G. Road. The Indian Cartoon Gallery makes for the perfect place for caricature enthusiasts to soak up artworks from popular and lesser-known cartoonists across the country.
Think these are all? Nah! Bangalore also has the Heritage Centre & Aerospace Museum, Rezwan Razack’s Museum of Indian Paper Money, Kempegowda Museum, National Military Museum, and a lot more! If you ever run out of things to do in the city (which is kinda impossible), head to one of its museums or galleries, and follow up with a croissant and hot chocolate from a nearby bakery after for some fancy art-connoisseur feels!
