The largest and oldest museum of India is located in the state/union territory of West Bengal.


India is home to numerous museums that showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country. These museums play a vital role in preserving and displaying artifacts, art, and historical objects for public viewing and research. One such significant museum is located in the state/union territory of West Bengal.


The Indian Museum, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, is the largest and oldest museum in India. It was established on February 2, 1814, by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, making it over 200 years old. The museum is situated on Chowringhee Road and covers an area of approximately 93,000 square feet.


The Indian Museum holds immense historical significance as it is one of the earliest and most significant museums in the Asian subcontinent. It was founded by Dr. Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist and physician, who served as the curator of the museum from 1814 to 1828. The museum's establishment aimed to collect, preserve, and display objects of artistic, historical, and scientific importance.


The Indian Museum houses an extensive collection of over 102,646 artifacts, including rare manuscripts, sculptures, fossils, coins, paintings, and textiles. The museum's collections are categorized into various sections, such as Archaeology, Anthropology, Art, Geology, Zoology, and Botany. Each section showcases objects representing different periods and aspects of Indian history and culture.


The Indian Museum is renowned for its remarkable collection of artifacts. Some of the notable exhibits include the fossil of an extinct dinosaur species, the Indian dinosaur Rajasaurus, the Ashoka Pillar inscriptions, ancient sculptures from various Indian dynasties, and an extensive collection of ancient coins from different periods.


The Indian Museum in Kolkata, West Bengal, holds the distinction of being the largest and oldest museum in India. It has played a significant role in preserving and showcasing India's rich cultural and historical heritage. With its diverse collection and wide range of exhibits, the museum continues to attract visitors and researchers from all over the world, making it an important cultural institution in the country.

Indian Museum in kolkata
it is the earliest and the largest multipurpose Museum not only in the Indian subcontinent but also in the Asia-Pacific region of the world.Founded in 1814 at the cradle of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.In 1862, the Government of India announced the foundation of a Public Museum at Calcutta which might be taken into consideration with the practical realisation.
The museum which was known in the beginning as the "Asiatic Society Museum" subsequently came to be known as the "Imperial Museum" later familiarized as the "Indian Museum". The museum is more familiar by the name Jadughar or Ajabghar among the visitors.
The Museum Directorate has three main cultural sections namely, Art, Archaeology, and Anthropology together with eight co-ordinating service units such as Preservation, Publication, Photography, Presentation, Modelling, Education, Library, and Security.