Whether you are looking to get lost in art or want to get intrigued by the wonders of the human body, Bangalore's museum scene is pretty exciting and diverse. These museums are not just for kids and parents but for everyone across all age groups. Wander around at these museums in the city for inspiration and of course appreciation. From modern art and science to engineering and the human body, the following are the best museums in Bangalore.
9 Of Our Favourite Museums In Bangalore To Nerd Out And Soak In Culture
NIMHANS Brain Museum
NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Science) Brain Museum has over 400 brain specimens collected over 40 years. You can marvel at them at this one-of-a-kind (first-of-its-kind) museum. There are guided tours where they will walk you through the entire museum and explain the entire process. It's not just human brains that are on display, you will also find animal brains. You can also see the brain development of the human brain. There is also a line-up of brains that have been riddled with conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Cerebral Palsy.
Timings: Wednesday from 2.30 PM till 4:30 PM and Saturday from 10.30 AM and to 4.30 PM
Price: Free Entry
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath is the city's premier art and culture hub and it houses 13 museums that feature interesting and rare pieces. From traditional paintings to puppet work, and stunning paintings by Russian painters Nicholas Roerich and by his son Svetoslav Nikolayevich Roerich to artwork donated by HJ Kejriwal, there's a lot to check out. The Dr. Krishna Reddy Museum features the printmaker's collection of artwork that features viscosity painting techniques. The Mysore Traditional Museum features over 100 artworks dating from the 19th century. Once you are done with your museum visits, check out the stationery store and then visit the CKP canteen for some dosa.
Timings: Open all through the week from 10 AM to 7 PM
Price: Free Entry
National Gallery Of Modern Art
Located inside a sprawling space surrounded by greenery (it's such a great date spot), Bangalore’s National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is one of the finest museums and art galleries there is. It's set inside the restored, two-story colonial-style Manikyavelu Mansion. On weekends, especially you'll see art enthusiasts lounging around, sketching away on their pads as well as Instagram Creators getting their aesthetic reels shot. There are permanent exhibits and artwork by artists such as Amrita Sher-Gil, Raja Ravi Varma, and three Tagores (Abanindranath, Gaganendranath, and Rabindranath). On our recent visit, Nandalal Bose's Haripura Panels were the ongoing exhibit. Don't forget to stop by the museum store to pick up some art prints.
Timings: Closed on Mondays. Open from 11 AM to 6 PM on rest of the days
Price: INR 20 for Indian nationals
Indian Music Experience Museum
Touted to be India's first and only interactive music museum, the Indian Music Experience Museum (IME) showcases the diversity of Indian music and its rich musical heritage. There are multimedia exhibit galleries, an interactive sound garden, a learning centre for music education, and several performance spaces. One of the exhibits includes the instruments gallery that features over 100 musical instruments from across the country with their origins, making and playing techniques all displayed. Look out for the peacock-shaped mayura veena and snake-shaped nagphani.
Timings: Closed on Mondays. Open 10 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and 11 AM to 7 PM on weekends.
Price: INR 100 upwards
Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum
Ministry of Culture-funded Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) is in the heart of the city and it's a landmark you can't miss. The museum is spread across multiple levels and there's everything from a 3D mechanised Spinosaurus to the replica of the Wright Brothers Flyer suspended from the ceiling. There's a wing that features old-world locomotives with diesel and steam engines. Plus, check out the interactive displays where you can see working models of vortexes and hyperbolas while also trying your hand at making colourful liquid paintings and 3D shadows. Don't miss out on the Mars Rover and biotechnology wings as well.
Timings: 9:30 AM to 6 PM on all days
Price: INR 85 upwards
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium
The planetarium is one of the coolest places in town and you can go stargazing and learn everything about the solar system to the universe. On weekdays, you'll see excited kids from schools out on their field trips and at weekends you'll mostly find parents with their kids. They play two shows—To Worlds Beyond and Journey through the Solar System and Celestial Fireworks—throughout the week with an additional show on weekends—Dawn of the Space Age—in Kannada and English. You can book these tickets on BookMyShow or pick them up at the box office.
Timings: Closed on Mondays and second Tuesdays and two shows for the rest of the days starting at 10:30 AM
Price: INR 75 for adults and INR 50 for kids below 16 and above 3
Museum of Art & Photography
The Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) is also centrally located (it's bang opposite Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum) and one of the newest museums opened in Bangalore. Spread over 44,000 square feet and several floors, aside from the continually growing collection of over 60,000 works of art from South Asia dating from now to as old as the 10th century, the museum has ongoing exhibitions and installations with the recent ones being Zobop by Jim Lambie and Outside In: Meera Mukherjee and Jaidev Baghel. Artwork aside, there's an auditorium, an art and research library, an education centre, a specialised research and conservation facility and a terrace cafe too.
Timings: Closed on Mondays .From 10 AM to 6:30 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 7:30 PM on weekends.
Price: Free entry except for exhibitions and free entry for all exhibitions on Tuesdays from 2 to 6:30 PM
HAL Heritage Centre And Aerospace Museum
Touted to be India's first aerospace museum, the HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum is a fascinating place for anyone who loves aircraft. There are two wings with one wing showcasing artwork and history about the evolution of aerospace from the 1940’s to date. The other wing has models and displays of engines, aircraft, and helicopters used by the Indian Air Force. Plus, there are also showcases on how aircraft engines work. Outside you have models of aircrafts such as Marut, MIG-21, Kiran, and Ajeet. Look out for the spacecraft models too. Plus there's also a basic simulator and a mock air traffic control tower.
Timings: Open all days from 9 AM to 4:30 PM
Price: INR 50 for adults
Sandesh Museum of Communication
Museum Road got its name thanks to the Sandesh Museum of Communication which is located at the beginning of Museum Road which leads to Church Street and MG Road. The museum has artefacts, collections, and memorabilia that showcase the evolution of postage and communication in India. It's housed inside a heritage building built in the 1800s and currently is maintained by the Department of Post, Karnataka Circle. Amongst the collection, you will find things such as telegraph, stamps, seals, and letters from the British era. These have been collected from various post offices across India.
Timings: Closed on Sundays. Open from 10 AM to 4 PM
Price: Free Entry
