Established in 1946, the National Museum holds more than 200,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of Indian civilization, across three floors. There are sections dedicated to Central Asian antiquities, jewellery, manuscripts, and more. A visit to the National Museum helps contextualize many of the cultural, architectural, and archaeological treasures that visitors to India will see on a visit to the country, making it an ideal place to visit before heading off to other parts of India.
The museum can be visited independently or as part of a city tour that include highlights of the New Delhi area, many with included transportation. To get the full experience, plan a half or full day of exploring.
Non-Indian visitors pay a higher ticket price at the National Museum.
Included in the ticket price is an audio-guide, which lasts around 75 minutes and gives a tour of the highlights in Hindi, English, German, French, and Japanese.
To visit the museum’s Anubhav tactile gallery—especially designed for differently abled visitors—you must book at least three days in advance.
To avoid getting stuck in road traffic, travel to the National Museum by Delhi Metro. From Central Secretariat station, it’s about a 1-mile (1.5- kilometer) walk to the museum, and it’s a half-mile (1- kilometer) walk from Udyog Bhawan station. You can hire an auto rickshaw from the station if you prefer.
The National Museum is closed on Mondays and public holidays. It can get crowded on weekends. The museum is an ideal place to visit if you visit Delhi in summer, as it is air conditioned.
The National Museum is located in the Rajpath area of New Delhi, known as King’s Way. The grand, spacious avenues are worth exploring on a tour. One highlight is the nearby India Gate, a war memorial arch unveiled in 1933 and now a symbol of Delhi. From India Gate there are well-aligned views down the area’s carefully planned road system, including towards the grand Rashtrapati Bhavan.
