Museums in Pune

Pune has some noteworthy museums that display collections related to the city's past. While Tilak Museum named after Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak captures the life of Tilak through some relevant displays, Mahatma Phule Museum has sections depicting different types of industries such as engineering, handicrafts, small cottage and agriculture.

Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum

Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum was built in memory of Raja, the only son of Dr Dinkar G Kelkar who met a tragic death. Dr Dinkar Kelkar, fondly known as Kaka, was an avid collector of art and traveled all around the world to collect the best artifacts and art masterpieces. He started collecting these items in 1920 and continued till 1960, until he decided to entrust this exclusive collection to the Department of Archaeology of Maharashtra Government.

A collection of Mughal antiques such as paintings, instruments, lamps, pens and nut crackers can be found at Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum. The most interesting piece is a Maharashtrian Chitrakathi scroll painting, used in folk theatre performances. You will also find the recreation of Mastani Mahal, named after Mastani, the beloved of Peshwa Bajirao I. Other collections include unique pieces of writing implements and manuscripts, wooden objects, kitchen utensils, earthernware, terracotta, coins, toys and bronze deities among other artifacts.

Quick Facts

Timings: You can visit the Museum between 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 pm, throughout the year except on 15th August, 26th January and Anant Chaturdashi.

Fees: There is no entry fee for blind and disabled but others have to pay as follows:

Re 5.00 for children below 12 years
Rs 20.00 for adults above 12 years
Rs 50.00 for foreigners (children)
Rs 200.00 for foreigners (adults)

Address:
1377-78, Natu Baug
Off. Bajirao Road
Shukrawar Peth
Pune
Telephone: 020 2446 1556

How to reach
One can reach the Museum by hiring an auto-rickshaw or taking bus.

Tilak Museum

Tilak Museum was built in the memory of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a famous social reformer from Pune. At Tilak Museum, you can see every detail about his life, right from the time he was born to his death. You will get glimpses of his lifestyle, hand-written notes, personal items and photographs.

It is said once you enter the Museum, it will captivate you with Tilak's life and you will end up spending hours in there. You can find poems written in Sanskrit by Tilak as a young boy and his law degree certificate. The Museum also has a study room which shows a statue of Tilak writing for his newspaper Kesari. In this study room, you will find his personal belongings like books, clothes, footwear and wall clock.

If you are interested in exploring about Tilak's childhood, then you can visit Genealogical Table and Horoscope section of the Museum. This section contains his handprints and some exclusive family photographs. In fact, as you make your way through the Museum, you will find yourself surrounded by various black and white paintings, depicting different phases of Tilak’s life.

The most famous attraction of Tilak Museum is the recreation of Mandalay Prison where Tilak was jailed in 1908.

Quick Facts

Timings: Tilak Museum is open to public on all seven days of the week from 10 am to 1:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Fee: The entry is free of cost.

Address:
Near Deccan
Narayan Peth
Pune

How to reach
The Museum could be reached by hiring an auto rickshaw or taking bus.

Tribal Museum

Like any other Indian state, Maharashtra too has its own share of tribal groups. If you are interested in tribal history, culture and art, then you must visit Tribal Museum in Pune. This Museum has managed to preserve the life of tribal groups from Sahyadri and Gondwana regions of Maharashtra through various artifacts and photographs.

The insides of the Museum will instantly connect you to the tribal people. The intricate details of tribal life are highlighted in the Museum through their jewellery, hunting and fishing weapons, agricultural equipments, clothes, cooking vessels, musical instruments, household items and other articles from their daily usage. The paintings in the Museum beautifully depict the tribal era, houses, life, festivals and ceremonies. You can even find the handmade crafts and goods by the tribal communities.

Quick Facts

Timings: Tribal Museum can be visited anytime between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm from Monday to Friday. The Museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Fees: The entry is free and photography is allowed only with permission.

Address:
28 Queens Garden
Near Pune Railway Station
Pune

How to reach
The Museum could be reached by hiring an auto-rickshaw or taking bus.

Mahatma Phule Museum

Mahatma Phule Museum has undergone many name changes since its inception in 1875. Initially it was known as Poona Industrial Museum only to be renamed as Lord Ray Museum in 1890. It was again renamed in 1968 as Mahatma Phule Museum.

This Museum has various sections pertaining to different industries such as engineering, handicrafts, small cottage, agriculture etc. It also showcases articles related to geology, minerals, forestry and armoury from the Mughal and the Maratha era. The specialty of this Museum is that you can find samples of body structures of various animals in its natural history section. The library in Mahatma Phule Museum is a home to some exceptional and rare books.

A monthly publication, Srishtidnyan, is quite famous among people who want to learn scientific developments. Srishtidnyan is one of the oldest regional science magazines of Pune.

Quick Facts

Timings: The Museum is open for visitors from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on all days, except Wednesday.

Address:
S No 1875
Ghole Road
Shivaji Nagar
Pune
Telephone: 020 2553 2750

How to reach
Hire an auto-rickshaw or take a bus to reach to the Mahatma Phule Museum.

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum was built in memory of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution. It was inaugurated in November, 1996 and since then it has been a major tourist attraction in Pune.

Situated amidst lush green surroundings, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum will immediately capture the attention of any passerby. The Museum is constructed in the shape of a dome in subtle colours of white and blue.
The marble bust of Babasaheb is found right in the centre of the Museum along with the items gifted to him or collected by him.

The Museum displays chairs, utensils, tea set, clothes, foot wears, bed and many other things that Dr. Ambedkar used during his lifetime. All his personal items have been graciously donated by his wife, Dr. Mahisaheb Ambedkar.

In this Museum, you will also find his Bharat Ratna Award and also the urn that contains the sacred ashes of Dr. Ambedkar. You will also notice his wall clock, violin, a silver ink bottle and a few other belongings of Dr Ambedkar. A personal hand-written letter from Babasaheb is also showcased in the Museum.

The Museum gives an up close look into the life of Dr Babasaheb Ambekar. Those who visit this Museum leave the place in awe and respect of the great personality.

Quick Facts

Timings: You can visit the Museum between 8.30 am to 5.30 pm from Monday to Friday.

Fees: The entry fee is nominal and photography is strictly prohibited inside the Museum.

Address:
Senapati Bapat Road
Opp. Passport Office
Pune
Telephone: 020 25659909

How to reach
The Museum could be reached by hiring an auto-rickshaw or taking bus.

National Film Archives Museum

National Film Archives Museum is one of the major film archives having the largest movie collection pan Asia. The popularity of this Museum attracts tourists from all over the world, especially those who are interested in film-making. In National Film Archives Museum, you will find amazing store house of photographs, journals, scripts, posters, audio tapes and all other things related to movies. You will also get a lot of material to read on Indian cinema and cinema across the world.

The Museum’s building is an old-style British architectural construction. Initially, located in make-shift premises, the Museum now boasts of a centrally air-conditioned building with three basements which can house about 60,000 movie reels.

The present collection in the Museum offers a rich experience for movie buffs. The number of film related scripts, books and reels are constantly being added to the Museum, making it one of the most sought after film archive destinations for people.

Quick Facts

Timings: You can visit the Museum between 8:00 am to 7:00 pm with an admission fee of Rs 10.

Address:
P.O. Box No. - 810
Law College Road
Pune

How to reach
The Museum could be reached by hiring an auto-rickshaw or taking bus.

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