India’s Oldest Museum: British-Era Calcutta’s Indian Museum, 1855
This rare 1855 photograph captures the Indian Museum in Calcutta (Kolkata) during the British era. This is likely the oldest view of the Indian Museum, and among the earliest known photographs of Calcutta. Originally established in 1814 by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, it was known as the Imperial Museum under British India. Today, it proudly stands as India’s and Asia’s oldest museum, and the 9th oldest museum in the world.
The Indian Museum houses an extraordinary collection of rare and priceless artifacts from across the globe, including Egyptian mummies, ancient sculptures, fossils, meteorites, coins, and skeletons. A masterpiece of Italian architectural design, the museum remains a major cultural and historical landmark, attracting countless visitors from India and abroad.
Read more- Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Did you know- there are four galleries of natural history in this Indian museum at Kolkata- botanical, insect, mammal, and bird galleries. It also contains prehistoric artifacts like the giant skeleton of a dinosaur.
From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#12)., Vintage Print Aerial View of Parliament New Delhi., Antique Photo Ooty Town & Church 1890., Vintage Two Postcards Railway Station Poona / Pune 1907
