Visit one of the oldest natural history and art museums in India, the Napier Museum, with your family and friends. The museum is a must-visit when you travel to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. It is one of the most stunning British attractions to explore in the city. Napier Museum is very popular among history and art lovers due to its unique architecture and vast collections. The structure is a beautiful combination of different architectural styles, such as Indo-Saracenic, Gothic, and Chinese.
What attracts visitors to the Napier Museum is its collection of more than 500 exhibits and over 5,000 coins. These collections belong to different eras of Indian history and include rare objects as well. The museum was built in the late 19th century and is surrounded by several attractions.
You can visit a zoo, aquarium, and attractions like KCS Paniker Gallery and Sree Chitra Enclave here. Some of the best collections of the Napier Museum are royal objects, Southeast Asian antiquities, and decorative antiques. Plan your visit and book tickets online so you don’t miss out on anything.
Highlights
• Explore one of India’s oldest natural history and art museums as you visit the Napier Museum in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Discover a unique blend of Mughal, Chinese, Italian and local architecture when you explore the museum halls.
• See over 500 exhibits based on Indian and world history during your tour of the museum galleries.
• Admire a huge collection of over 5,000 coins from different eras of Indian and world history at the Coin Gallery.
• Witness beautiful bronze sculptures, wooden carvings, ivory and stone objects, and royal collections in the museum.
• Learn about India’s connections with Southeast Asia over centuries as you visit the Southeast Asian Gallery in Napier Museum.
How To Reach
Napier Museum is located in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala.
1. By Road - Napier Museum is around four kilometres away from Thiruvananthapuram city centre. You can reach here in around 12 minutes via NH 66.
2. By Train - Take a train ride to Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station. The station is around four kilometres away from the museum. You can reach here in about 10 minutes.
3. By Bus - You can take a bus to Trivandrum Bus Stand, which is 3.4 kilometres away from the museum. You can cover this distance in around 10 minutes.
Best Time To Visit
Napier Museum is a year-round destination. It is perfect for a visit in every month and season.
1. Best Season - The best season to visit the Napier Museum is in the winter months of October to February. This period sees cooler temperatures and low levels of humidity, which makes your museum tour comfortable.
2. Best Day - Visit from Tuesdays to Fridays as the crowds are less as compared to weekends.
3. Best Time of the Day - The early morning hours are the best time to visit the Napier Museum. This is because the crowds are lesser than the afternoon and evening hours.
Other Essential Information
1. Plan your visit to the Napier Museum in the early morning hours so that you can avoid the crowd of later hours.
2. Choose to visit the museum on weekdays instead of weekends as the rush of people is less.
3. The museum is closed on Mondays and opens late on Wednesdays, so plan your visit accordingly.
4. Remember to have at least one-and-a-half to two hours on hand for exploring the museum.
5. Spare some time to visit nearby attractions like the 3D Theatre, KCS Paniker Gallery, and Sree Chitra Enclave.
6. If you want to learn in detail about the objects in the museum, you can book a tour guide here.
Admire the South East Asian Gallery
One of the most popular sections of the Napier Museum is the South East Asian Gallery. The gallery houses the personal collection of the last Maharaja of Travancore. Numerous wood and metal objects made by the Chinese are kept here. You can also see the famous celadon porcelain art of ancient China. These objects come from the king’s visit to these lands in the 20th century. The gallery is, in fact, home to rare ancient Chinese art.
Explore the Coin Gallery collection
The Coin Gallery of Napier Museum has a massive collection of more than 5,000 coins. It is very famous among students of history and numismatics. These coins belong to nine different eras of Indian and world history. The gallery has photographs of coins placed next to the displays to help better understanding. Some of the main coin groups are the coins from Vijayanagara and the Chola, Chera, and Pandya kingdoms. You can also see coins of Turkish, Chinese, Persian, Roman and Dutch origin here.
Learn about Indian craftsmanship at Bronze Gallery
The Bronze Gallery of Napier Museum is home to many bronze sculptures from ancient India. Much of the collection consists of images of Hindu deities made in different styles. These sculptures were made in the way shown in ancient texts called Silpashastras. The eighth-century Lord Vishnu sculpture from the Pallava kingdom is the oldest here. The sculptures date to different eras and show the development of bronze art over several centuries under many rulers.
See rare and forgotten Indian musical instruments
The Musical Instruments Gallery of Napier Museum has a collection of Indian instruments from all over the country. These musical pieces are rare, and many are already lost in time. The instruments here range from basic musical instruments made from simple material to highly developed modern versions of classical Indian instruments. You can also spot rare instruments like the yazhl here, which have now gone out of use. Some of the popular exhibits at the gallery are the Panchavadyam, Veena, Sarangi, Ektar, and Nanduni. You can also see rare instruments like the Thakil, Thabala, Chenda and Bhuri here.
Discover the beauty of the Ivory Carvings Gallery
The Ivory Carvings Gallery of Napier Museum is famous for its beautiful collection of ivory objects. The collection spans different eras of Indian history and shows how the craft developed under various rulers. These objects show how the skill of ivory carving survived and changed over centuries. Some of the most famous objects here are the sculptures of Sree Chithira Thirunal and Radha-Krishna. You can also see idols of Shiva-Parvathi, Mahishasuramardini, and Lord Buddha in this gallery.
