Chennai Museums: Government Museum, Fort and Heritage Stops

Government Museum, Egmore

The Government Museum, on Pantheon Road in Egmore, was founded in 1851 and is the second oldest museum in India, according to Wikipedia. The complex covers about 16 acres, with six buildings and around 46 galleries. Highlights include a bronze sculpture collection of around 500 pieces, a children's museum, the National Art Gallery with paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and others, and a large Roman coin collection.

The Chennai district website lists it as open to the public on all days from 9:30 AM to 5 PM. A travel site lists a Friday closure and entry fees of Rs 15 for Indian adults, Rs 10 for children and Rs 250 for foreign visitors, but these are not confirmed from an official page, so check before you go. Allow three hours at least.

The Museum Theatre, in Italianate style with about 600 seats, and the Connemara Public Library are within the same complex, according to Wikipedia. The Manuscript Conservation Centre, designated in 2004, also sits here. The museum drew about 602,345 visitors in 2018, so weekends and school holidays can be crowded.

The bronze gallery is a highlight, with around 500 pieces according to Wikipedia. If you enjoy art, the National Art Gallery building holds paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, and the anthropology and archaeology sections show how people in South India lived across centuries. A guide or an audio tour may be available, but ask at the entrance.

Getting to Egmore

The nearest railway station is Chennai Egmore, which is also a metro station on the Green Line according to Wikipedia's list. From a Royapettah hotel an app cab or auto is the simplest option. Chennai Central is 12 to 15 minutes from Hotel Royal King, and Egmore is in the same general direction, so ask the front desk for a current estimate.

If you are travelling with children, the children's museum covers dolls, science, transport and technology. Carry water and plan a break in the grounds. Some galleries may be closed for maintenance on any given day, so check the entrance notice board.

Entrance fees and photography charges are set by the museum, and they have changed in the past. If you carry a camera, ask at the ticket counter. If you plan to see more than one building, look at the site map at the gate and pick the galleries that interest you, since the complex is large and walking between the buildings in the heat can tire children and elders.

Fort St George and its museum

Founded in 1639, Fort St George is described by Wikipedia as the first English fortress in India. It houses the Tamil Nadu legislature and secretariat offices, so access is restricted in places. The Fort Museum holds colonial-era weapons, coins, medals and uniforms, a statue of Lord Cornwallis, Tipu Sultan's cannons and what is said to be the first flag flown after Independence. St Mary's Church, built from 1678 to 1680, is the oldest Anglican church in India.

The Fort Museum is the only ticketed Archaeological Survey of India institution at the complex. Bring photo ID if you can, as security is tight at government sites.

The fort's oldest buildings and the flagstaff, which Wikipedia lists as about 46 metres high, are visible from the grounds. The fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India with administrative support from the Indian Army. Photography rules vary inside, so ask before you take pictures of buildings used for government work.

Vivekananda House and San Thome

Vivekananda House, formerly the Ice House, was built in 1842 to store ice and now has an exhibition on Swami Vivekananda, who stayed there in February 1897. It is run by the Ramakrishna Math. San Thome Basilica has a small museum with artefacts linked to St Thomas, and a neo-Gothic church from the 1890s. Opening hours for both should be checked locally, since no firm figures were found for the exhibition.

Valluvar Kottam

Valluvar Kottam on Kodambakkam High Road is a memorial to the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, built in 1976. The Chennai district site lists it as open from 8 AM to 6 PM and closed on Fridays and national holidays. It is not a museum but is often paired with one on a heritage day.

Planning a museum day from Royapettah

Choose one major site per half day. A good plan is the Government Museum in the morning, a rest at the hotel after lunch, and a lighter stop in the evening. Check-in is at 1 PM and check-out at 11 AM, and the front desk is open 24 hours. Rates are Rs 1,600 for a Single Deluxe, Rs 2,000 for a Double Deluxe, Rs 2,800 for a Triple Bed Room and Rs 3,600 for a Quadruple Room, per night. Message or call Hotel Royal King on +91 73973 96612 with your dates and number of guests. Rates are per room, per night, so please reconfirm the current rate and taxes when you book.

If you enjoy museums, you can combine one in the morning with a light lunch and a rest in your room. The hotel's free Wi-Fi is handy for checking opening hours and ticket details before you head out. Avoid planning too many indoor sights back to back, as museum fatigue sets in quickly.