Last Updated on: 28th February 2026, 09:52 am
The National Museum of India, also commonly known as the ‘National Museum, New Delhi’ is generally considered to be India’s flagship museum (though Mumbai’s CSMVS Museum is another top contender). It’s home to many of India’s top artifacts, some of which are thousands of years old. And there are even some international items on display as well.
While a lot of first-time visitors to India stick to the ‘Golden Triangle’ (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur), many of the region’s landmarks date to the medieval era. A trip to the National Museum of India, therefore, can greatly broaden your perspective.
Though the building and many of its displays appear rather dated, a visit here should still be an essential part of your New Delhi itinerary.
Following this guide to each major exhibit, you can also learn more about accommodation in Delhi at the end of the article.
National Museum of India Guide
Visiting the National Museum of India
OPENING HOURS & TICKETS: The National Museum of India is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (and until 20:00 on weekends).
Tickets cost Rs 500 for foreign adults and just Rs 20 for Indian nationals. Unlike many museums in India, there’s no extra fee for photography, and photos seem to be allowed everywhere.
VISITING TIPS: If one were to see every gallery at the museum, it would take around 3-4 hours. If you’d like to take a break, you can find an on-site cafe which serves reasonably-priced meals.
As we’ll cover shortly, it’s best to start on the ground floor, beginning with the exhibit on the Harappan Civilization. After that, visit the nearby exhibits in chronological order until you finish with the early medieval period. After that, you can explore the other exhibits in any order you wish.
Harappan Civilization
Also commonly known as the Indus Valley Civilization, the Harappan Civilization thrived along the Indus River from around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
It’s often grouped together with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as one of the three great world civilizations of its time.
Today, the Indus River lies in modern-day Pakistan, and it’s not surprising to see both countries claim the Harappan Civilization as their own. In fact, when preparing for the Partition of 1947, the two sides even had to work out who would take possession of which specific artifacts.
Beyond modern political tensions, the Harappan Civilization also sparks debate on the origins of Vedic culture. Globally, most scholars seem to agree that Vedic culture was first brought to India by Aryan invaders (or perhaps just settlers) from the north and northwest.
That would mean that the Harappan Civilization was already present and thriving, but that it was separate and distinct from Vedic culture, and therefore had little influence on modern-day Hinduism.
Many Indian nationalists, on the other hand, are adamant that the Vedic tradition arose in the Indus Valley and is therefore indigenous to India (or at least Greater India before the partition).
That’s why local sources, including the National Museum of India, often use the term ‘Indus–Saraswati Civilization.’ The Saraswati River no longer exists, but it was referred to in the Vedas.
And it’s believed to have been the now-dry Ghaggar-Hakra which runs through Indian states like Haryana and Rajasthan. So not only does this term link Harappa with the Vedas, but also with modern-day Indian territory.
While there are indeed some ancient Harappan sites that lie in modern-day India, the prominent ones, such as Mohenjo Daro and the site simply known as ‘Harappa,’ are found in Pakistan. You can see more Indus Valley artifacts in our upcoming feature on the Lahore Museum.
As for what Harappan artifacts you can expect to see here in New Delhi, highlights include a recreation of a burial site from Rakhigarhi, Haryana, ancient cylindrical seals, and a 4000-year-old burial jar.
You’ll also find countless other examples of Harappan pottery, along with plenty of terracotta figurines.
The Maurya & Shunga Periods
The first great empire that controlled much of modern-day India was the Maurya Empire (c. 322–185 BC). Though founded by Chandragupta Maurya, the empire’s most influential ruler was Ashoka (r. c. 268–232 BC).
Not only did Ashoka greatly expand the empire all the way into parts of Central Asia, but he was a convert to Buddhism, which he promulgated throughout his vast territory.
The National Museum of India contains some significant artifacts dating to Ashoka’s time, including original fragments from the beautiful carved gates at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh.
I can confirm firsthand that no museum exhibit compares with visiting Sanchi itself, which you can learn more about here.
Not everything here comes from Sanchi, as you can also find items like carved limestone slabs from the Amaravati Stupa in Andhra Pradesh.
After the fall of the Maurya Empire came the Shunga period (187 to 75 BC). The Shungas favored Hinduism, and some scholars believe they actively suppressed Buddhism. Nevertheless, numerous Buddhist pieces from the Shunga era have indeed been discovered.
Kushan & Gandhara Art
Buddhism made a major comeback in India during the Kushan Empire (1st-3rd centuries AD). This massive empire controlled most of northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, along with parts of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
What’s fascinating about the Kushans is that the empire arose after the conquests of Alexander the Great, meaning that Central Asia had already been exposed to and heavily influenced by Greek (via Macedonia) religion and culture.
The Kushans were also tolerant of Zoroastrianism and Hinduism, though they largely favored Buddhism.
During this time, a hugely important cultural center was Gandhara, which encompasses parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, with its main cities being Taxila and Peshawar (both in Pakistan).
It was in Gandhara during the Kushan period that the world’s very first Buddha images appeared, and it’s no coincidence that they share a lot in common with Greek sculpture art.
During my recent long Asia trip, I’d go on to visit numerous locations within historic Gandhara, so stay tuned for those articles.
Though Gandhara art is probably the most well-known type of art from the Kushan era, a lot of the pieces at the National Museum were found within modern-day India.
And for those interested, the city of Mathura is also worth a visit. It too was a major Buddhist city under the Kushans, but it developed a style of sculpture distinct from that of Gandhara.
The Gupta & Early Medieval Periods
The next major power to control northern India was the Gupta Empire (c. 320–550 AD). And the Gupta era is largely considered a Golden Age for ancient India. The Guptas were tolerant of Buddhism and Jainism but largely favored Hinduism.
The era gave rise to Gupta sculpture which often depicted people and divinities with serene faces and smooth bodies.
At the National Museum of India, the Gupta period has been lumped together with various other sculptures from India’s early medieval period. For example, you’ll find pieces from South India’s Pallava Dynasty along with carved lintels from Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh Fort.
Bronze Sculptures
The exhibits described above should be experienced in chronological order to get a better understanding of Indian history and the development of its art.
After that, the remaining exhibits are organized around a particular theme or location rather than chronology, so you can see them in whichever order you prefer.
One of the major exhibits on the museum’s ground floor is dedicated to bronze sculptures that come from all over South Asia.
Bronze sculptures were being created in South Asia as early as the Harappan civilization (see above), though they wouldn’t really become commonplace until the Gupta period. After that, they continued to be produced in pretty much every subsequent era.
Within this gallery, you’ll find lots of remarkable examples from Tamil Nadu, which was long controlled by the mighty Chola Dynasty. The form of Shiva known as Nataraja, or the Lord of the Dance, was created by the Cholas.
You’ll also find some bronze Buddha statues from central India on display, while the gallery also contains some Jain bronzes from western India.
The Himalayas were also responsible for creating some excellent bronzes, such as a seated Indra figure from Nepal.
Decorative Arts
One of the most eye-catching areas of the National Museum of India is the ‘Decorative Arts’ exhibit, which the museum defines as ‘arts related to the design and decoration of objects of utility.’
A lot of the objects on display here are relatively recent, such as exquisite ivory pieces from the 18th-20th century. You’ll find an ivory jewelry box, a miniature shrine, and a full tusk carved with scenes from the Buddha’s life.
Another room focuses on miniature paintings. The Indian miniature painting tradition was largely inspired by Persian miniatures, and the art style became especially widespread during the Mughal era, as the Mughals patronized traditional Persian culture.
But various regions throughout India took the basic Persian miniature style and adapted it to local and religious themes, such as scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Along with Mughal miniatures, the various Rajput kingdoms of present-day Rajasthan produced what are probably the most well-known examples of Indian miniature paintings.
But as you can see at the museum, the Deccan region of central India created some fine examples as well.
One of the most impressive rooms in this section largely focuses on wood carvings. Many of the more remarkable pieces were produced in South India over the last couple of centuries.
Yet another room features a collection of various gold jewelry pieces from the ancient city of Taxila, located not far from present-day Islamabad, Pakistan.
As mentioned, Taxila was one of the most important cities of the Gandhara region. See our upcoming guide to Taxila for more details.
The Corridors
While not exactly an exhibit, when exploring the National Museum of India, you’ll encounter plenty of remarkable pieces within its circular corridors.
Though the order is somewhat random, you’ll find additional pieces from the Kushan period, the Gupta era and more. Some of these pieces easily rival what can be seen within the permanent exhibitions.
Coins
One of the best ways to get an overview of all the different rulers and kingdoms that once controlled a region is to look at the different coins found there.
The exhibition dedicated to numismatics features coins from many of the kingdoms and dynasties mentioned in this guide thus far, while you can even find examples of local tribal coins!
Northeast India
India’s Northeast region may technically part of India, but it has a look, feel and culture so different from the ‘mainland’ that it feels like an entirely different country.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit the states of Meghalaya and Assam in the past, though there are seven Northeast states in total.
This exhibit features various artifacts like masks and musical instruments from the various tribal cultures that inhabit the region. You can also find some examples of traditional clothing and learn about specific traditions and customs.
But of course, the best way to learn about India’s Northeast would be to go there yourself.
Central Asian Antiquities
The National Museum of India also houses a few international exhibits as well, with one of them being titled ‘Central Asian Antiquities.’
At the time of my visit, most of the pieces were from the western Chinese provinces of Xinjiang and Gansu, which historically could be considered Central Asia.
India was my starting point for a much longer adventure across Asia. And later in the year, I’d actually find myself in both Xinjiang and Gansu provinces.
The museum has several pieces on display from the Astana necropolis in Turpan, Xinjiang, though the site was unfortunately closed when I tried to visit.
Also near Turpan are the Bezeklik Caves, and this museum contains a whole room of projections of Buddhist art from those grottoes.
Additionally, this exhibit contains some silk paintings from Dunhuang, Gansu, a city along the Silk Road where early Buddhism thrived.
Pre-Columbian & American Art
Surprisingly, the National Museum of India even contains a sizable collection of ancient art from Mesoamerica! Examples include various stone carvings, figurines and Mesoamerican ball game paraphernalia.
Most of them come from Mexico, but unfortunately, the specific cultures or even states where they were found is absent on the placards.
Also on display are various Catholic sculptures from the Spanish colonial era.
During my time in this exhibit, I couldn’t help but recall the time that I happened to encounter ancient Indian art at the museums of Zacatecas!
The Outer Garden
And that concludes the main permanent exhibits that one can expect to find within the National Museum of India.
While there was technically an additional room dedicated to virtually experiencing Maharashtra’s Ajanta Caves, the machines were mostly out of order.
Either before or after your tour of the main museum, also be sure to check out the pieces spread throughout the garden. But not all of them are original, it seems.
Some of them are related to Ashoka of the Maurya Empire (see above), such as a replica of one of his Rock Edicts. Elsewhere, meanwhile, is one of his trademark pillars.
The garden is also home to an elaborate stone gate which appears original. And housed within a glass case is an impressive wooden temple chariot from 19th-century Tamil Nadu.
The Buddha Gallery
There’s actually one more exhibit to check out during your visit to the National Museum of India. But it’s in a separate building from the main one, and you can apparently only access it by walking outside first.
The gallery is entirely dedicated to Buddha images found throughout South Asia. But the most significant piece here is not a statue, but a relic of the Buddha himself discovered in Kapilavastu, Nepal. It’s housed within a small wooden pavilion created by Thai artists.
Additional Info
Delhi is a massive, sprawling city. On the one hand, you’re going to be doing a lot of moving around no matter where you stay. But the more you’re able to avoid Delhi traffic, the better.
Neighborhood aside, the Delhi metro system is a really convenient and affordable way to explore the city. So wherever you choose to stay, you’ll want to be sure that you’re within easy walking distance from the nearest station.
With that said, let’s take a look at some popular districts:
Connaught Place
This is considered Delhi’s fancy commercial district, while it’s very central in terms of location and metro access. There are countless restaurants in the area, though it’s not an ideal place for budget travelers.
Some top-rated hotels in the area include Hotel Palace Heights and The Imperial, New Delhi. If your budget is a bit tighter, Hotel Jukaso Inn Down Town seems like a good option.
Paharganj
Paharganj, located right near New Delhi Railway Station, is the capital’s traditional backpacker district. It’s a chaotic and crowded mess, but there’s no denying its convenience in terms of location.
I can’t say I’m a fan of Paharganj, but it’s definitely the best way to enjoy central New Delhi on a budget. I recently stayed at Sarthak Palace which was fine for the modest price I paid.
But to my surprise, there were hardly any international tourists there during my recent visit compared with my first stay some 15 years prior. Paharganj now seems to be catering to mostly domestic travelers.
South Delhi
For my next trip to Delhi, I’d consider making South Delhi, or somewhere near the Lodhi Garden, my base. Traffic is more relaxed here, while there are plenty of cool cafes to choose from. You also have easy access to some ancient tombs.
Lutyens Bungalow is highly rated but expensive. Further south, Skylink Suites Bed & Breakfast and South Haven Residency are more budget-friendly (as mentioned, be sure to double-check if your hotel is near a metro station).
Old Delhi?
While it’s worth a visit, I would avoid staying within Old Delhi (Chandni Chowk area), as it’s just too chaotic – even by Delhi standards!