Government Museum (Chennai)
The Government Museum in the southern Indian metropolis of Chennai (formerly Madras ) is one of the leading museums in the country , alongside the National Museum New Delhi and the Indian Museum in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta ).
location
The Government Museum is located in the Egmore district about one kilometer southwest of Chennai Egmore Railway Station .
history
The museum was founded under British rule in 1851; it has been in its current location since 1854. From 1855 to 1863 a zoo was also housed on the site, but it was relocated. In the years 1864 to 1890 several buildings were added, so that one can speak of a museum complex.
Departments
The museum is divided into the departments archeology, numismatics, art, anthropology, zoology, botany and geology; there is also a special section for children ( Children's Museum ), two libraries and a theater building.
The highlights of the collections are the finds from the excavations in the area of the Buddhist stupa of Amaravati and the South Indian bronzes from the time of the Tamil Chola dynasty (10th – 12th centuries), the most beautiful of which, however, are distributed over various museums around the world. There is also a gallery with Roman finds, including coins found in India.
See also
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Chola bronzes - Photos and information (English)
Coordinates: 13 ° 4 ′ 15 ″ N , 80 ° 15 ′ 26 ″ E