Museums

Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum:This splendid museum, dedicated to the memory of Bharat Ratna M. Visvesvaraya, the architect of modern Karnataka, houses various technical inventions and offers you a glimpse of the history of technological development in the country. A major attraction here is a 1:1 scale replica of the Wright Brothers’ Flyer, the World’s first piloted aircraft and a ‘Flyer Simulator’ that offers a delightful experience to visitors. At the Dinosaur Corner, one can also witness the movement and sound of a life-sized animated Spinosaurus in a recreated environment.
HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum: HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum was established by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The museum displays a varied collection of aircraft models, fighter planes and helicopters. The museum also houses a reference library, aircraft simulators, a mock air traffic control tower and an aeromodelling club.
Government Museum, Bangalore:Reputed to be one of the oldest museums in the country, the Government Museum is a remarkable treasure trove of archaeological items such as stone carvings, pottery, paintings, coins and inscriptions. A prominent attraction in this museum is the first ever recorded Kannada inscription – the Halmidi inscription (450 AD) and Atakur inscription (949 AD) slabs.
Venkatappa Art Gallery: Located adjacent to the Government Museum, Venkatappa Art Gallery is home to the magnificent paintings and art materials of the renowned artist Venkatappa, as well as those of others.
NIMHANS Heritage Museum: The NIMHANS heritage museum tells us the story of the rise of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) from a 19th century mental asylum to a leading nationwide establishment, in a 7-zone interactive centre. Guided tours are conducted on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Open from 10 AM till 1 PM and 2.30 PM till 4.30 PM. Closed on Sunday, holidays and 2nd Saturday. Free entry.
Human Brain Museum, NIMHANS: Visit the Neuropathology Brain Museum (Human Brain Museum), only one of its kind in India. The museum is home to real human brain specimens used for teaching and research purposes. Guided tours are organised wherein you can actually touch and feel the human brain.
Indian Cartoon Gallery: The Indian Cartoon Gallery is a one-of-its-kind initiative and the only cartoon gallery in India. It was established in 2007 to encourage the art of cartooning, exhibiting the works of Indian and international cartoonists and creating an interactive platform for caricaturists across the globe. The artworks showcased in the gallery cover a wide spectrum of genres like politics, social and economic issues, pocket, strip, caricature, illustration, comics and doodle. A dedicated exhibition area has displayed the works of several famous cartoonists in the country like R.K. Laxman, N.K. Ranganath, Mario Miranda and Maya Kamath, to name a few. The gallery also houses a 75-seater conference hall for conducting workshops, seminars and lectures on the art of cartooning for amateur artists. The centre has also digitised around 700 books on cartooning in association with the IGNCA (Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts).
HMT Heritage Centre and Museum: The museum was established to celebrate the legacy of Hindustan Machine Tools Limited (HMT), the country’s first machine manufacturing company. This technology museum traces the origin and journey of HMT into fields like manufacturing of wristwatches, machine tools, light bulbs and tractors. The idea of setting up the museum came in the wake of the closure of HMT’s watch factory. The museum is spread over two floors – the ground floor is dedicated to the history of watchmaking, while the first floor archives the history of machine tools and equipment. The most interesting exhibit is the ‘Parts of a Watch’, where even the minutest components of different watches have been illustrated.
Kempegowda Museum: Located on the first floor of Mayo Hall, this museum is dedicated to Kempegowda, who is believed to be the founder of the city of Bengaluru. An interesting feature of the museum is its glassed floor, which has a print of an 18th century map running all through it. Visitors can walk over it, and see and learn the old names of places, including the four towers that Kempegowda built to mark the boundary of Bengaluru. There are also old pictures of forts, temples, and other buildings that Kempegowda built during his reign.
Manjushree Heritage Museum of Packaging and Design: This museum chronicles the evolution of packaging in the 20th Century. Visitors are fascinated to find curious collectibles from yesteryears displayed in perfect condition, reminding them of their childhood. Major attractions include the Gramophone records of Lata Mangeshkar packed in a two-colour printed paper board, a tin case of Cadbury chocolate, wood finish radios, Pepsi old cans, Britannia biscuit box, etc.
Amma Saraswati Loka: This one-of-a-kind science museum is the brainchild of P.D. Ravindra, a retired chief of maintenance of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). His keen interest in science, technology and innovation led to the opening of Amma Saraswati Loka. The main idea behind the establishment of the museum was to use simple techniques to convey various scientific concepts, especially to children. The museum is named after Ravindra’s mother. Spread across three floors, the museum space also has an industrial workshop on its premises. The ground floor houses numerous hands-on instruments and scientific models made from recycled materials and everyday items.
Madras Sappers Museum: A military museum showcasing history of the Madras Engineer Group (called the Sappers, established in 1803). The Madras Sappers are the oldest regiment of the corps of engineers of the Indian Army. The museum records and displays their history and achievements and houses armor used by the regiment, various medals, attire, and a sports gallery. Madras Sappers Museum is not open to the general public and can be accessed only with special permission from the Army.
Law Museum: The Law museum houses an original print of the Constitution of India, articles and documents related to the legal profession, insignia, seals and books. Law Museum also showcases the history of the High Court and the development of courts over the ages.
Philatelic Museum: Stamp collection has been one of famous hobbies of many people in the world; probably before the advent of computers and smartphones. It is a very novel way of getting an understanding of various countries, events, tourism products, incidents, personalities etc. This museum is housed inside the General Post Office (GPO), quite near to Vidhana Soudha. The museum has collection of numerous stamps that have been collected from various time periods and arranged systematically.
Museum of Communication: The museum is an initiative of the Department of Posts (Karnataka Circle). A funny coincidence is that this museum is situated on Museum Road in a 150-year-old heritage building which was the old Postal Divisional Office building. This museum is a treasure trove specially from the British-era exhibits ranging from postage stamps, post boxes, safes, chests, seals, weights, uniforms, Morse Code machines and antique telephones. The exhibits are divided chiefly into six categories, which are showcased in separate halls inside the museum.
Gandhi Bhavan (Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi): To perpetuate the Gandhian philosophy and to enlighten the future generation about the teachings of Gandhi, the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi was formed. Continuing the teachings of Mahatma, realizing his dreams, publicizing his huge literary genius were the main objectives of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. Gandhi Bhavan located at Kumara Park East has a museum/ gallery that has many valuable documents and photos pertaining to Gandhi. Moreover, it also conducts classes, workshops, publications, endowment programmes, seminars etc.
Legends Motorcycle Museum: Located on Wheelers Road, Legends Motorcycle Museum displays a collection of 20 plus vintage motorcycles still in working condition. Some motorcycles are almost a century old.
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium: Here’s the ideal place for star gazers and astronomy buffs. Gaze at the night sky studded with innumerable stars, and watch “The Sky Theatre Show” which unfolds the amazing phenomena and mysteries of the universe, planets and the solar system.https://www.taralaya.org/
Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park: Located close to the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park was inaugurated in 1995 and is the first computerized fountain park in India. The spectacle of streams of water getting into the groove, and swaying, spinning and dancing to music is truly a sight to behold. The fountain flanked by lush green gardens and hosts two light and sound shows on a daily basis.