Introduction

The Government Museum and Art Gallery is one of the most important and impressive multi-dimensional museums in India. With a collection that predates even the partition of India, the Museum showcases its very rich collection of Gandharan sculptures, Pahari and Rajasthani miniature paintings, as well as a Natural Science Museum, with separate sections for evolution of life, evolution of man and even dinosaurs in India. The exhibits aside, the Museum building alone is worth a visit. Designed by Le Corbusier himself, and located in the heart of the city, the museum is housed in a sprawling campus which also offers stunning views of the Shivalik range that surrounds the city.

The history of the Government Museum and Art Gallery starts in Lahore. In pre-partition India, this rich collection of paintings, sculptures, and other exhibits was housed in the Central Museum at Lahore, then the capital of united Punjab. After the partition in 1947, the collection too was divided. While the newly formed Pakistan got to keep 60% of the collection, 40% of the exhibits came to India. The collection first went to Amritsar, then Shimla, Patiala and finally Chandigarh when the city was made the capital of Punjab.

The present museum was inaugurated in 1968, in a building designed by Le Corbusier. Over the years, as the museum expanded, other buildings were added and the campus expanded. Today, many trees line the campus and provide welcome relief from the stark sunlight. The campus is also dotted with several exhibits, strategically placed and depicting environmental concerns.

At the museum itself, the most impressive collection is of Gandhara sculptures, many of which depict narratives from the life of Gautam Buddha. There is also a collection of other ancient India sculptures, second only to the collection at the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Also worth a look is the collection of sculptures from the medieval era, metal sculptures, Indian miniature paintings, epigraphs, artifacts from Harappa, as well as art works from contemporary Indian masters like Sobha Singh and SG Thakar Singh.

There is a separate wing for the National Gallery of Portraits, with several fine impressions of Indian freedom fighters all the way from 1857 to 1947. There is also a section dedicated to the architecture of the city at the Chandigarh Architecture Museum, notable for displaying many of Le Corbusier original drawings.

However, it is the Natural History Museum that draws the maximum interest, with separate sections for evolution of life, evolution of man and even dinosaurs in India. Also important is the Cyclorama depicting the evolution of life, with images from life in the Pleistocene, Oligocene, Eocene, Jurassic, Triassic and Permian periods, as well as the Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal man.

Special Attributes

One of the largest multi-dimensional museums in India, it houses a vast collection of Gandharan sculptures

Nuisance

On weekends, the crowds can be heavy.

Dressing restrictions

Dress in whatever you find comfortable.

Connectivity

On foot, cab, bus, autorickshaw

Enjoyed by

All

Exposure

None

Avoidable Season

Open through the year

Facilities

Basic, prepare accordingly.

Things Not Allowed

No such restrictions.

Tip

The Museum conducts guided tours at 11am, 12 noon, 3pm and 4pm. Try to catch one such round to get the most from your visit.

Type of site

Museum and Art Gallery