National Art Gallery
Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600008
One of six buildings comprising the Chennai Government Museum, the National Art Gallery is among the most prominent painting galleries in India. Housed in a restored red sandstone Indo-Saracenic building designed by a British architect, the museum exhibits paintings by traditional and modern artists, in addition to sculptures, handicrafts, and ancient manuscripts.
The basics
The six museums and 46 galleries of the Chennai Government Museum are dedicated to archaeology, anthropology, South Indian bronzes, and natural sciences—the National Art Gallery is among the most popular attractions in Chennai. Visiting all six is a considerable undertaking, but you can easily see the National Art Gallery independently in one morning or afternoon. Chennai highlights tours typically at least pass by the complex of buildings.
Things to know before you go
Don’t miss seeing the paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, considered among the greatest Indian artists.
Consider leaving enough time to visit the Bronze Gallery, with a notable collection of South Indian bronze statues.
Non-Indian nationals pay a more expensive admission fee than Indians, but there are reduced fares for children and students.
How to get there
The gallery is on Pantheon Road in the Egmore neighborhood of central Chennai and is easily reachable from nearly anywhere in the city. Taxis, buses, and rickshaws are convenient, though sometimes unreliable, but the easiest way to reach the gallery is by Chennai Metro—the nearest stations, Chennai Central and Egmore, are about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) away on foot. Many bus lines stop along Pantheon Road.
When to get there
The gallery is open from morning until late afternoon, six days a week, and is closed on Fridays and national holidays. Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid Chennai during its punishingly hot summer and the Indian monsoon season, from June to September. To make the most of your trip, visit during winter, roughly from late October to February, when the weather is cooler.
Government Museum Chennai
The Government Museum complex has enough exhibits for multiple visits. Besides the art and bronze galleries, the museum complex houses a children’s museum, library, theater, galleries dedicated to anthropology and archaeology, botanical gardens, and the largest collections of Roman antiquities outside Europe. Seeing the main building, built in the Indo-Sarasenic style and recently restored, is worth the trip.
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