The human mind has always been curious. In its quest to find the answers to the most existential and philosophical questions about life, the human brain is always willing to pick up any and all knowledge along the way. And there is no other place except a museum, that displays a collection of alluring artifacts, practical information and snacking options, that can keep our curiosity aroused for a sustained duration… well, there’s also multiplexes, malls, street markets and brothels with vending machines, but museums are better any day, right?
Here are a few decidedly quirky museums in India that you should definitely visit; they are sure to keep your interests engaged!
1. INS Kursura Submarine Museum, Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
The INS Kursura (S20) was India’s 4th submarine, and was decomissioned on 27th February, 2001, after 31 years of service. After decommissioning, she was preserved as a museum for public access on Ramakrishna Mission Beach in Visakhapatnam . The Submarine Museum is the first submarine turned into a museum in the whole of Asia and second in the World.
2. Sulabh International Toilet Museum, New Delhi
Conceptualized by Mr. Bindheshwar Pathak, an international expert on sanitation, this is one of the rare and curious museums of India that display the evolution of toilets and their various designs. The aim is to educate students about the historical trends in the development of toilets, importance of sanitation as well as informing and providing cheap sanitation solutions.
3. Baywatch Wax Museum, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
With a limited number of exhibits, featuring Mother Teresa, Michael Jackson, Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein and the likes and a cheap entry fee, you can be done with the entire tour of the museum within 10 minutes.
4. Mayong Central Museum and Emporium, Assam
Mayang , also known as “the Land of Black Magic” , is a village in Marigaon district in Assam. The Mayong Central Museum and Emporium is d edicated to the origins of black magic and tantra. It houses local artifacts like ancient witchcraft manuscripts and swords that were believed to be used for making human sacrifices. Visitors may be treated to a magic show, where ancient rituals for casting healing spells are performed.
5. Fossil Park Museum, Simaur, Himachal Pradesh
The Fossil Museum of India or the Shivalik Fossil Park, is situated at Saketi in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. Shivalik Fossil Park is a unique place with preservation of Shivalik mammals and containing Shivalik fossils. A must visit for children and paleontologists alike.
6. Antarang Sex Health Information Art Gallery, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Dedicated for educating the young and old about the human body , sexuality and AIDS , the Antarang museum is one of its kind in South Asia . Originally founded in Mumbai in 2002 as a result of the joint efforts of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and the Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS) & Dr Prakash Sarang following an increase in AIDS cases in the area. It is located in the red light district of Kamatipura.
7. Shankar’s International Dolls Museum, New Delhi
One of the most renowned museums in New Delhi which has a huge collections of dolls from across the globe. The renowned political cartoonist, K. Shankar Pillai founded this museum in 1965 with thousand dolls. Today the volume has increased to 6,500 exhibits from almost 85 countries, giving it an international character.
8. Celebrity Wax Museum, Lonavala, Maharashtra
India’s answer to Madam Tussauds is of course less grand in its displays, but still a great place to visit for kids, youngsters as well as elders. There is a minimal entry fee and is well worth it. The museum is well maintained, with around 50 statues of famous personalities.
9. Paldi Kite Museum, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Established on February 26 th 1984, the Kite Museum at Sanskar Kendra was founded and designed by Bhanu Shah. The museum houses not only his personal collection of kites but also showcases interesting illustrations and photographs as well. The admission to the museum is free and you can visit it any day from Tuesday to Sunday.
10. Human Brain Museum, Bangalore, Karnataka
The Brain museum in Bangalore is the brainchild of Dr. S.K. Shankar and his team. The Museum seeks to help visitors see the brain, understand how it works and get an insight into the kind of diseases that can affect it. The museum has a diverse collection of over 300 brain samples and is the result of over 30 years of collection. It is located at Neurobiology Research Centre, National In stitute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore.
11. Sudha Cars Museum, Hyderabad, Telangana
Sudha Cars museum is the first and only handmade wacky car museum in the world. It is the brainchild of Mr. K. Sudhakar, a Guinness world record holder for making the largest tricycle in the world. Displaying a mixture of commercial and creative cars, both adults and children are sure to have a gala time here.
12. Arna Jharna: The Desert Museum, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
The brainchild of the late Kama Kothari, a leading oral historian and folklorist, Arna Jharna breaks every perception of what a museum should look like. This museum is all about celebrating the wide open spaces of the desert and exploring its flora and fauna. The very first object that they worked on was the broom (the broom project), where they showcased different kinds of brooms produced by different rural communities.
