Indian Museum

Founded in 1814, the Indian Museum is the oldest multipurpose museum in Asia Pacific (and one of the oldest in the world), and can be credited for establishing the institution of the museum in India. Set up by the Asiatic Society (a society dedicated to developing and preserving the art, culture and heritage in Asia), the erection of Indian Museum off-set the museum movement which in time, led to the establishment of an additional 400 museums across the country. Commonly referred to as Jadughar (magical house), the museum houses over 60 galleries, and is a treasure trove of collections ranging from antiques, ornaments and ancient sculptures, to fossils, relics, and a large number of Mughal paintings. In 1892, the museum’s south wing was reallocated to house the Government College of Art and Craft within its premises.