Salar Jung Museum: Walk Through European Sculptures And Nizami Antiques

The Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad is the third largest museum in India and definitely a must-visit place in Hyderabad. It was established by Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III, the former prime minister of the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. He spent a whopping 35 years gathering the collection you will see here, which makes this museum the biggest one-man collection of antiques in the world. This truly gives you a sneak peek into Nizam’s lifestyle. 

This museum is a treat for art lovers and collectors. It houses 43,000 artistic objects from different civilisations and also has a curation of 50,000 priceless books and manuscripts. Expect Indian art, Middle Eastern art, European art, Eastern art, exquisite daily objects and more—you will find pieces here that will blow your mind.To think that we have access to see stone sculptures, jade carvings, painted textiles, woodcarvings, metalware, weapons and armour that date back centuries is incredible. 

The Salar Jung Museum also houses a collection of jade daggers owned by Noor Jahan, Auganzeb’s sword and other masterpieces from the Mughal era. You can truly appreciate the fine craftsmanship of yesteryear and be left wondering how they had the technique to create pieces that are machine-made in the current day and age.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM, open all days except Fridays

Entry Fee: INR 50 for adults, INR 20 for children below five, INR 500 for foreign visitors, INR 50 for still cameras/smartphones

The entire space is divided into galleries. The ground floor has 20, and the first floor has 18. It’s like a maze, so remember to track your path. Photography is prohibited, and the guards might request that you put your phones on silent.