India does not boast of world famous museums. Only handfuls are known to people in general. In the capital city Delhi itself ,most people are aware of the National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, Rail Museum to name a few. However, there are various museums small and big providing an alternative museum experience. Listed here are six unique museums based in New Delhi which are different from its conventional counterpart. These museums may not boast of huge collections or large visitor followings, but the experience they provide is worthwhile and enriching.
Doll’s Museum
Located in the heart of Delhi on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Shankar International Doll’s Museum was established by cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai. The museum has one of its kind collection of dolls from U. K., U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand and many other countries from Asia, Middle East and Africa. The museum was set up in 1965 in the building of Children’s Book Trust.
The inspiration for collecting the dolls came to Shankar Pillai when he received a Hungarian doll. He subsequently collected dolls wherever he went and soon he gathered around 500 dolls which later on became part of the Doll’s Museum. Today, it has a collection of nearly 6,500 dolls from around the world. For children, visiting this museum will prove to be a delightful experience.
The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. every day, except on Monday and on national & festive holidays.
The Sulabh International Museum of toilets
A unique museum on Palam Dabri road in Delhi, The Sulabh International Museum of toilets figures in the quirkiest museums in the world. The ‘Toilet Museum’ as it is popularly known, was established in 1992 by the non-profit organization, Sulabh International Social Service with the aim of spreading the awareness on sanitation in India. The museum showcases toilets used in different places and countries. It explains some of the most interesting facts about the toilet history, tracing its origin to more than 4,000 years back and has on display exhibits as old as 1145 A.D. The museum guide enthusiastically shows around the museum with some interesting stories thrown at the right break. From the simple and practical to the ornate and innovative, the range of toilets, bidets, chamber pots and more tells a story of evolution. However, the focus of the museum remains to spread the message of sanitation management that have plagued the world and continue to challenge India and the Indian culture.
The museum is open from Monday to Sunday except on National holidays from 10.30 am to 5 pm.
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art is an important milestone in the history of contemporary art museums in India. It is the first private museum of Art in the country. Established in 2010 by the eminent art collector Kiran Nadar, the museum exhibits artworks of not just Indian modern and contemporary artists, but also artworks from Pakistan and other countries. While visiting the museum, one can not miss the giant steel installation ‘Line of control’ by artist Subodh Gupta. Apart from the exhibiting master artworks, the museum also brings out publications and conducts various educational programmes on Indian Art on regular basis. The museum focuses on bridging the gap between Indian Art and the general public.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm.
Tribal Museum
Very few people in Delhi know of the Tribal Museum located in the heart of Delhi. The museum was established by Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh, a national level voluntary organization. The museum has in its collection a wide variety of tribal artifacts and items of their daily life and customs. The exhibits include musical instruments, weapons, medicinal plants, agricultural implements, hunting implements, ornaments, handicrafts and dioramas. It also has a small library having bokks and publications Indian tribes and tribal art.
The Museum is open from 11.00 am to 02.30 pm.Located at Thakkar Baba Smark Sadam,Dr. Ambedkar Road,Jhandewlan
Tibet House
Close to India Habitat Centre on Lodhi Road, the quaint museum at Tibet House is a door to the Tibetan culture having in collection some of the old and rare artworks of Tibetan and Buddhist Art. The prime collections of the museum includes rare Thangka paintings, figurines, jewellery, costumes, weapons and ritual objects in copper, bronze, sandalwood and stone. The museum plays an important role by providing an important connect to Tibetan refugees in India. Most of the artworks in the collection came from Tibetan refugees. The museum thus emphasizes on the lifestyle and social set up of Tibetan community. The museum also has a library and resource centre with a wide range of rare books and manuscripts on Buddhism and Tibetan culture.
The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
National Philatelic Museum
Those having the like for collecting stamps and postage tickets would be delighted to visit the National Philatelic Museum housed in the Dak Bhawan in central Delhi. This unique museum was established by Indian Government Postal Services to showcase the rich postal heritage of India and also to generate interest in philately among the general public. It traces the history of stamps started first by Sindh Dak in 1854 and some rare stamps issued by the princely states of pre-independent India. The museum also showcases the stamps from other countries. One can buy the special edition Indian stamps from the museum outlet. The museum is open for the public from Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. It also conducts special guided tours on Saturday for school groups.
Sangeeta Kumari
