1. With its walls whispering stories from across centuries and its famed sculptures capture moments in cosmic time, the Government Museum in Chennai has many secretswaiting to be discovered . Did you know? TheGovernment Museum has a mobile unit that travels across Tamil Nadu, showcasingsome original treasures, and some replicas..
2. Here is a little known gem in Chennai. TheCholamandal Artists’ Village houses the Museum of the Madras Movement of Art whose aim is to collate works of artists who were part of themovement that spanned between 1945 to 1985, at one place. Did you know? All theworks at the museum had been sold to other museums or collectors abroad. Whilethey only managed to get a print of painter Ramanujam’s work, playwright GirishKarnad donated a Paniker original to the museum
3. Fort Museum, Fort St. George: Opened in 1948,the museum houses antiquities in galleries spread over three floors, thanks tothe efforts of Lt. Col. Douglas Muir Reid. Who was Lt. Col. Reid and what did he do towardsbringing about the enchanting Fort Museum? Did you know? The ASI has recently opened a centre at themuseum to showcase impressions of inscriptions (estampages) from all overIndia. Estampages of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions — from the period betweenthe third century B.C. and second century A.D — from across the nationare on display.
4. Train lovers, this one is for you! The RegionalRail Museum, ICF, in Villivakkam is little-known but hosts an array oftechnical and heritage exhibits. Interestingly, the museum itself is not very popular though theexhibits make it worth a visit.Did you know? The museum houses the first steam-operated ploughing engine, madein 1895 by an Englishman, John Fowler. Fowler pioneered the steam engine's usefor ploughing and digging, enabling faster cultivation.
5. Celebrating one of themost famous personalities of Madras, t he Rukmini Devi museum, very artistically laid out with all the personal collections ofthe founder, is a treasure trove of handicraft, sculpture and painting. Themuseum is housed inside the lush and sprawling Kalakshetra campus. Did youknow? The museum showcases Rukmini Devi's unique collection of art, artefacts,silk sarees along with China ware collected from all over the world
