Chennai Museum
Government State Museum
- Location : Panthean Road, Egmore, Chennai (Tamilnadu)
- Timings : 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, Closed on Fridays and government holidays
The first Government-sponsored Museum in the country opened in Chennai in 1851. It is housed in the Pantheon Complex, and it is best known for two important collections: sculpture from Amaravati and its Bronze Gallery.
The Amaravati Collection has panels, pillars, carved railings and Buddha statues of milky white marble from a Buddhist stupa excavated at Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh. Believed to be erected by Ashoka around 2nd century BC, the sculpture reveal contemporary architecture, costumes and ordinary occupations of people. Most famous are the Taming of the Elephant Nalagiri, Dream of the Buddha’s mother Maya, episodes of the Buddha’s life andjataka stories. There are also sculpture from the later PaUava, Chola, Hoysala and Chalukya periods. The Bronze Gallery is housed in a separate building. South Indian bronzes are a tribute to the highly complicated lost wax process or ci” elegance and beauty are highlighted by a fluidity of movement especially those dating to the Pallava and Chola period (9th to 13 th centuary AD). Gods from the Hindu pantheon dominate and are classified under saivate and Vashnative groups. Prominent among these are powerful Natrajs, Shiva performing the dance of creation a Chola Ardhnarisvara the Lord who is half woman, a 9th century Somaskanda from North arcot district. A 10th centuary Chola group of Rama, sita. Lakshmana and Hanuman.
Fort St. George Museum
- Location : Fort St. George Beach Road Chennai
- Timings : 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, Closed on Fridays and government holidays
The museum displays collection of portraits and paintings of former governors of Chennai as well as of English royalty. Among the other objects on view are weapons, coins, porcelain and the communion vessels of the church.