Searching for rare manuscripts and historical archives? Head to the Asiatic Society. Situated in the heart of the city in Park Street, it is one of the oldest libraries in India. Don’t be put off by the gloomy and drab interiors – it has books, periodicals and manuscripts and some rare museum objects too. The books range from the latter half of the 15th century A.D. {some are works unavailable elsewhere} to ones from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Unfortunately, they are not open to memberships, but you can always seek special permission to access their reading rooms for a definite period of time.
