One of the most popular things to do when you visit a new place is to check out its museums. This is one of the things that is always on my to do list when I travel and some of my best travel memories are of museums. Whether it is coin museum in Udupi or the Folklore museum in Appenzell or the Toy museum in Edinburgh, the joy of viewing unique museums is unparalleled.
Today is International museum day and what better way to celebrate than by looking at museums in your own city. Very often, the most interesting of sights lie in our own backyard and being able to discover them gives you a sense of satisfaction quite like none other. While Bangalore is famous for its gardens, start ups and pubs, it is also home to several interesting museums. Here are some of them.
Postal museum
Dedicated to the system of communication, the recently opened postal museum is all about post offices, postal equipment, stamps and first day covers. Also called Sandesh, it has 5 distinct rooms dedicated to various artefacts including post man’s uniforms, badges, ledger books, seals, seal pads and equipment like telegram machines, money transfer equipment and the like. It also has a section dedicated to the Mysore Anche which was an indigenous method of communication devised by the kings of Mysore. To read more about this museum, click here.
HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum
Established in 2001, the HAL museum is an ode to the history and development of the aviation sector in India. It is a treasure house of information on fighter planes, jets and the displays include several models of planes, engines and equipment apart from several photgraphs, models and charts depicting the growth of avaiation in the country.
HMT heritage museum
A fitting tribute to one of India’s most important PSUs, Hindustan Machine Tools, this one has a plethora of information about this engineering conglomerate. Beginning its journey in 1953, HMT was known for its machine tools, tractors, lamps and of course watches. A visit to this museum is a trip in nostalgia and it successfully traces the beginning, development and growth of modern industrial India.
The Vimor Museum of Living Textiles
A must visit if you are a fan of handlooms, fabrics, textiles and weaving techniques, Vimor is the brain child of Pavithra Muddaya who is a textile connoisseur. The museum houses a collection of 50 unusual sarees and is set up as an inspirational space for textile enthusiasts, designers, researchers and students alike. There are rare sarees on display like the “Datthi seere” (young girl’s saree) that has a length of just 3.15 meters, unique Naga Shawls and sarees with unusual embriodery motifs. Read more about this museum here.
Janapada Loka Folklore museum
An ode to the rural folk art of Karnataka, this unique museum traces the heritage of the Karnataka’s folklore. Located about 50 km from Bangalore in Ramnagar, the museum is set in a 15 acre campus and has several sections like including the Lokamatha Mandira, Loka Mahal, Chitra Kuteera, Shilamala, Ayagaramala, the amphitheater and the lake. The displays include yesteryear agricultural tools, weapons, utensils, folk insturments and rural art forms from various parts of the state. Read more about this museum here.
So, if you are from Bangalore, you know where to head to once the fear of Covid 19 has receded and it is safe to venture out! Happy museum hopping!
