Allahabad Museum - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 5 km from Allahabad Railway Station, the Allahabad Museum is a national-level museum located in the George Town area of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Situated within the premises of Chandrashekar Azad Park, it is one of the popular museums in India, and among the must-visit places during your Allahabad Trip.

The Allahabad Museum was first set up in 1879 as a public library and a small museum by Sir William Muir and the Maharaja of Vijaynagar with the help of donations from the Province British government. However, the museum was soon shut down in 1881. It started with a small collection of models of birds and animals in 1931 under the Allahabad Municipality, but the number increased at such a fast pace that a need for a separate arrangement to keep all the collections arose. The foundation stone for the present museum was laid down by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 and the construction of the museum was completed in 1954. In 1985 it was declared an Institution of National Importance.

The museum gives an insight into the history, culture, heritage, and independence movement of India through the amazing displays of artifacts. The museum is divided into sixteen galleries, each one displaying a different sect of historic and art collections. The museum houses galleries each devoted to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. The Gandhi Gallery displays rare pictures of Gandhi from his childhood till death, while the Nehru Gallery features Nehru's original manuscripts called 'In and Out of Prison' which were later published as his autobiography The Discovery of India. The museum's other valued possession is the Gandhi Smriti Vahan, the 47-Model V-8 Ford truck on which Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the Triveni Sangam on 12 February 1948. The pistol of Chandrashekhar Azad is displayed and preserved in the entrance hall of the museum.

The main highlights of the Allahabad Museum are the rock sculptures, the miniature paintings from Rajasthan, terracotta from Kaushambi, literary and artwork from the Bengal School of Art. The museum boasts 19 exclusive canvasses painted by the Russian painter, Nicholas Roerich. There are 10 Roerich Halls all over the world, including the one at Allahabad Museum. The museum's library stores 25,000 books, including rare collections of Loeb Classical Library- translated works of ancient Roman and Greek scholars.

Timings: 10 AM - 5.30 PM, Closed on Mondays

Entry: Rs. 50 for Indians, Rs. 500 for Foreigners && Rs. 500 for Photography