Museum of Man

The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangralaya, well-known as Museum of Man or National Museum of Mankind, is one of the best museums in India for those seeking an insight into its many cultures. The museum sprawls over a 40 hectare site covering hilly terrain with a view of the Upper Lake.
A thatched hut houses an introductory gallery that explains the concept and layout of the museum, aimed at offering an insight into the rich indigenous cultures of India. One part of the sprawling campus exhibits dwelling units including structures transported from their original locations and authentic replicas built by artisans using tools and materials brought from their home-states. Traditional houses with compounds and religious shrines offer a glimpse of its tribal life. The dwellings are shown with evocative displays of original tools, cooking utensils, baskets and musical instruments. Arranged into sections such as Tribal Habitat, Desert Village, Himalayan Village and Coastal Village, the exhibits range from a Kerala coastal house to the homes of hill tribes of North Eastern India and the round houses called `bhungas’ of Kutch, the houses have beautifully decorated interiors with intricate murals, mouldings and carved beams. There are also open air galleries like Mythological Trail and Traditional Mythological Park. The trails are also botanically interesting with labeled indigenous plants.
The Veethi Sankul has the research centre, a reference library, indoor and outdoor auditoriums, and galleries dedicated to anthropology and ethnology. Here 10 different indoor galleries display utensils, ritual objects, tools and farming implements, musical instruments, costumes, ornaments, ritual objects and arts from different parts of India.