The Thanjavur Art Gallery, established in 1951 in the Nayak Durbar Hall of the palace complex, is a repository of bronze and stone sculptures dating from the 7th to 18th century. A testimony to the artistic talent, skill and imagination of the ancient sculptors, these rare pieces belong to the Chola, Nayak and Maratha rulers. These sculptures have been sourced and collected from remote places in Thanjavur district and reflect the glory of the bygone era. The entrance of the gallery is bright and colourful, and an inverted lotus on the entrance arch is certainly a highlight. In fact, if you go to the next level of the gallery, you can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the place and can also see the skeleton of a 92-feet-long whale that was washed ashore in 1955. This was gifted to the gallery by the fisheries department and has been preserved well.