There are malls, theme parks, restaurants/pubs and also a few fine museums in Bengaluru. Why not explore them on the occasion of International Museum Day!
Government State Museum
Home to Halmidi inscription, the earliest Kannada inscription, the museum housed in a colonial style structure should be on top of your list. Built around 1880, it is the second oldest museum in South India. Delve into ancient India with sculptures from the Hoysala, Gandhara and Nolamba periods. Neolithic pottery, excavated artifacts from Mohenjodaro, Halebid and Vijayanagar, terracotta from Mathura and weapons from Kodagu. A model of Srirangapatna, the fort of Tipu Sultan, old musical instruments and rare paintings.
Karnataka : Bengaluru : 18/05/2016 : Students at Govt Museum Venkatappa Art gallery during International Museums day in Bengaluru on Wednesday 18 May 2016. Photo : Sudhakara Jain.
Its strategic location also gives you access to other museums in the vicinity like Venkatappa Art gallery which is houses the collection of seminal artists like Venkatappa, KK Hebbar and Rajaram. Just 100 steps away is Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum where awaits an exhilarating experience for the kids.
Where
3, Kasturba Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar
10 am -5 pm
Tickets
Rs 20 (adults)
Rs 10 (Children)
Nimhans Brain Museum
Those with a scientific bent of mind will certainly enjoy this offbeat museum. Located on the ground floor of Neurobiology Research Centre of NIMHANS, it is a collection of around 500 brains affected by Neurodegenerative and Infective conditions. Though, we can’t vouch for it but the visitors can touch a few exhibits upon request.According to a newspaper report last year, the museum is due for a digital makeover. Entry is free.
- We also take the opportunity to mourn the loss of a very rare museum - Shashwati Women’s Museum, we had profiled last year. Housed inside NMKRV Degree College for women in Jayanagar, the museum was dedicated to women. The museum had artefacts related to women collected by Chi.Na. Mangala, educationist, journalist, the founder-principal of NMKRV Degree College for Women during a padayatra in Bengaluru in 1973.
Where
Neurobiology Research Centre, Ground Floor, Room No 002, NIMHANS, Hosur Road
One guided tour on Wednesday (2.30-4.30pm), two guided tours on Saturday (10.30am-1pm, 2.30pm-4.30pm)
Manjushree Museum of Packaging and Design
If you live towards Electronic city, then this quirky museum of packaging should be convenient. Located inside the Manjushree Technopack in Electronic City, it traces the evolution of packaging in the last 100 years through old gramophone records, face powder boxes in ceramic, glass, hot cases with space for hot coal, tin boxes of candies, biscuits and baby food, wooden containers etc.
Where
Manjushree Technopack, Bommasandra Industrial area
(Entry is free but by prior appointment which can be obtained upon visiting www.manjushreeindia.com)
Indian Music Experience
This private initiative is an interactive and experiential affair with 200 Indian instruments, thematic galleries, sound garden, learning spaces, performance spots and computer-based interactive installations. Though the museum isn’t open to the public yet except its sound garden, a soft launch is taking place over this weekend, where the entry is free.
- As compared to last year, this is quite a dull International Museum Day in Bengaluru due to the elections. Sahapedia, though, is organising a International Museum Day Walk- An Architectural Marvel- A Visit to Tipu’s Summer Palace. No charges but prior registration required. To register, please visit www.museumsofindia.org
- May 20
- From 9.00 am - 10.00 am
Where
Brigade Millennium Avenue, Opp. Wood Rose Club, 7th Phase, JP Nagar, Bengaluru
May 18 3 pm - 6 pm
May 19 - 11 am - 6 pm
May 20 - 11 am - 6 pm
Karnataka : Bengaluru : 22/10/2017 : Bell plates installed at the premises of Indian Music Experience building at J P Nagar 7th Phase in Bengaluru . Photo: Bhagya Prakash K
HAL Heritage Center and Aerospace Museum
Another offbeat museum which documents the history and growth of the Indian Aviation industry. The exhibits include helicopters, aircraft, fighter planes, a flight simulator and a mock Air Traffic control tower. The visitors can also learn about landing and take-off mechanisms
BANGALORE, 24/02/2008: A view of Visvesvaraya Technological Museum in Bangalore. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy 24-02-2008
Where
HAL Aerospace Museum, Near HAL Police Station, HAL Old Airport Road, Marathahalli
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
