India’s northern state, Uttar Pradesh, has many things going for it. First off, it is considered the most vibrant and colorful state. That fact is mostly because it holds more festivals and fairs than many other states in India. Also, the country is home to several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, including the Kanipur Wildlife Sanctuary.
This article is about the museums in Uttar Pradesh, the state of cultural and geographical diversity. Several museums have been established in the state from time to time to preserve India’s sacred ancient heritage for coming generations. Uttar Pradesh is home to eighty-seven museums; the first was built in Lucknow in 1863. Here are some prominent museums in Uttar Pradesh that you can go to whenever you visit the state.
Archaeological Museum of Kannauj
The archaeological museum of Kannauj has a wide variety of clayey idols. The idols prove that Kannauj was renowned for art and culture in ancient times like Kashi, Kaushambi, and Mathura. It was a fully developed locality right from the Maurya age, and the clay idols in the museum prove that. They show that Kannauj was a very progressive district in ancient times; prominent personalities praised this district.
The clayey idols portray Kannauj’s rich cultural past and its love for arts and crafts. The antiquity idols are categorized into Very Ancient, Maurya, Shudag, Kuchar, Gupta, Post Gupta, and Harsh Ages. The museum is often crowded on weekends, and the recommended visitation time is November to April. It has restricted zones where tourists are strictly advised not to enter for their safety.
Bharat Kala Bhavan
Bharat Kala Bhavan is a well-known museum in Varanasi containing an interesting and delightful view of ancient antiquities. The museum is the ideal tourist center for information on India’s art and culture; it welcomes people of all ages. The Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum is located inside the Banaras Hindu University complex, boasting the perfect surrounding for art/history lovers. It houses a rich collection of artifacts, arts, and relics from different times, including the Mughal era.
It has an assortment of artifacts, but the most interesting is where different gold, platinum, and jade artifacts are displayed. It also has various sculptures, miniature paintings, and textile collections of ancient kingdoms on display. The museum has eleven galleries; the Textile and Decorative Art, Archaeological, Painting, and Banaras are the most popular. The Bharat Kala Museum is open to visitors on all days except on Sunday and from 10 am to 5 pm.
Government Museum
- S. Grouse founded the Government Museum, also called Mathura Museum, in 1874. It was and still is one of the most renowned tourist sites in Mathura, serving as an important study and research center. The museum has several exhibits of fine sculpture collections for history buffs dating back to the Kushana, Maurya, Sunga, and Gupta periods. The museum’s exhibits include bronzes and coins, clay seals, paintings, terracotta, and pottery.
The government museum is a red sandstone building octagonal in shape; it is a great place for a historical tour. The Mathura Museum is open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday, remaining closed on Sundays and Mondays. Visitors are welcome into the premises between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm.
State Museum
The State Museum in Lucknow is probably the most cultural delight for tourists and visitors. Situated in the Lucknow Zoo, the State Museum is the largest and oldest museum in Lucknow; it was established in 1863. This popular cultural center houses several galleries holding various antiquities, including Indian sculptures. Exhibits belonging to bygone eras are within the museum to provide tourists with an ultimate tour of Lucknow’s history.
The museum was only a collection of modern arts and objects of Awardh but has expanded. It has various events and screen films organized for school children and college students, making it suitable for adults and kids. The State Museum Lucknow is open to visitors on all days except Mondays and is open from 9 am to 4 pm.
Gandhi Museum in Lucknow
Gandhi Smarak Nidhi established the Gandhi Museum in Lucknow in 1973 as a perfect place for gaining insights into Mahatma Gandhi’s life. The museum is located just opposite Shaheed Smaraka, displaying 250 photos of Gandhi, the Father of India. The pictures are arranged in sequential order, from being a young student through his days as a lawyer and a freedom fighter. There’s a library within the museum that holds a collection of 18,000 ancient books.
The Gandhi Museum is one of the most visited tourist attraction centers in Lucknow for everyone, especially students and kids. It is open to tourists and visitors except on Sundays and from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
Kamla Retreat
A renowned Indian industrialist, Shri Padampat Singhaniya, opened the Kamla Retreat in Kanpur in 1960. It is a resort and museum located on Kamla Nehru Road on a massive private ground. The resort’s complex houses several canals, lawns, parks, and a magnificent museum, which is the highlight of the place. The museum in Kamla Retreat Kanpur is one of the city’s favorite historical sites for history lovers.
The museum explains the city’s rich history in detail and displays a rare assortment of antiquities and paintings. It boasts attractive displays, including a large collection of crockery and cutlery and a rich collection of war weapons. Kamla Retreat is one of the ideal places to learn the region’s history. It is open to visitors on all days of the week, from morning to evening.
Conclusion
Uttar Pradesh’s diverse land houses great museums that give tourists an insight into the state’s rich heritage. But, beyond that, it reflects the skills of the country’s artisans through the displayed artifacts and art. Uttar Pradesh state is home to many museums that adults and kids can visit.
Meanwhile, the State Museum in Lucknow is the oldest, largest, and one of the most important must-visit cultural sites. A visit to Uttar Pradesh is incomplete without a visit to these museums. That’s mostly because they give visitors the rare opportunity to gain insight into the state’s past and rich heritage.