Kolkata Museum History: The First Museum of India

Indian Museum of Kolkata, also famous as Kolkata Museum or Kolkata Jadughar, is undoubtedly an important historical landmark in West Bengal. Located at famous Park Street, the Kolkata Museum is the oldest and largest among the Indian Museums. In fact, the concept of museums was very new to the entire world then, when Kolkata Museum was established. Therefore, the first museum of India is also the oldest museum in Asia-Pacific region, and also among the oldest museums in the world. But the most unique part of Kolkata Museum history is the incredible journey. The other intersting part was the collections which took decades to reach today’s landmark.

Kolkata Museum operates as an autonomous organization directly under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. However, background history of Indian Museum of Kolkata is fairly interesting. The conception of Kolkata Jadu Ghar had firstly arrived in late 18th century. From there, the establishment of today’s Kolkata Museum had been a long but interesting journey. The foundation of the Indian Museum of Kolkata eventually laid the foundation of 400 small and large meseums that operate presently in India.

The concept of preserving everything ‘whatever is performed by man or produced by nature’, first arrived in late 18th century. Before that, no one felt any importance of Museums in India. Sir William Jones is regarded as the first person who felt the importance to build a museum in undivided Bengal of India. His efforts and initiatives eventually made the foundation of Indian Museum of Kolkata possible.

Asiatic Society Initiatives

Kolkata Museum history is incomplete without the involvment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The society, founded by Sir William Jones, was studying on ‘whatever is performed by man or produced by nature’. Their progress on the concept soon gathered hundreds of such collectibles, paving the way to build a museum. But circumstances of British Bengal was not quite favorable enough to build a museum so quickly.

The first ray of hope occurred in 1805, when the East India Company granted a site for the Asiatic Society for building a museum. A site at the corner of Park Street and Chowringhee Road was allocated for construction. Anyways, the Asiatic Society of Bengal got its permanent home at 1808. Six years later, Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich wrote a letter to Asiatic Society council to form a museum. He wanted to donate many of his personal valuable collections for the museum. The council of the society accepted the proposal. As a result, the Oriental Museum of Asiatic Society, the first museum in India, was founded on February 2, 1814.

But the challenge occurred after sir Wallich retired. Asiatic Society had to start paying salaries to the following curators, ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200 per month. Financial challenges worsen around 1836, when Palmer and Company, the bankers of the Asiatic Society, became insolvent. Therefore, the government had to step forward to pay salaries of the museum’s curators and other maintenance costs from its public fund.

Asiatic Society kept writing letters to the government asking for a new public museum. The East India Company had backed the Oriental Museum of Asiatic Society financially in many ways. But, having no such act in place, the EIC could not build a public museum. The work on the required act, however began. But due to the Indian Revolt of 1857, it delayed a bit. Finally in 1866, the first Museum Act was passed by the British Indian government.

Foundation of Indian Museum Kolkata

The present site of Park Street area was allocated for construction in 1866. Next year in 1867, the foundation of present Indian Museum building was laid. The construction of Indian Museum of Kolkata continued for 8 years, which finally completed in 1875.

W L Granville had designed the building in consultation with Sir Thomas Holland.

Indian Museum started began in Calcutta with only six galleries, namely:

1. Art
2. Archaeology
3. Anthropology
4. Geology
5. Zoology and
6. Economic Botany

With few new inclusions and sub-divisions, the Indian Museum presently consists of 14 galleries. Some of the important galleries exhibiting historical elements are:

1. Bharhut Gallery

Bharhut Gallery is one of the special inclusions as a sub-category of Archaeology Gallery. The gallery exhibits the only surviving gateway and railings of Shunga period. In 1873, Sir Alexander Cunningham had discovered these architectural remains from Bharhut, a place from Satna district of Madhya Pradesh.

The railings and gateway carvings represent remarkable artistry of ancient Shunga period (185-73 BCE).

Red sandstones were delicately carved which depicts Shunga fine arts of second and first century BC. Bharhut carvings depict Jataka tales, plants and animals, gods and goddesses etc. However, life story of Lord Buddha is one of the most remarkable carvings under display.

Images of some of those carvings displayed at Bharhut Gallery of Kolkata Museum is given below.

2. Bronze gallery of Kolkata Museum

Indian Museum also has several valuable collection of metal sculptures from classical and medieval ages of Indian history. Bronze gallery is also another new inclusion with many Bronze or metallic sculptures of ancient and classical age of Indian history.

Bronze sculptures represent cultures of different kingdoms from different parts of Indian subcontinent. Among the metal sculptures, bronze idol of Buddha and several gods and goddesses are most noticeable.

3. Coin Gallery

Indian Museum of Kolkata has a very large but very unique collection of coins from different periods of history of India. Total collection counts more than fifty two thousand.

Collection of coins range from fifth century BCE to the present age, from various parts of Indian subcontinent. Coin gallery of Kolkata Museum also displays few replicas of uninscribed coins of ancient and classical ages.

There are several other galleries that were added only during last few decades, namely:

4. Egypt Gallery: consists of many Egyptian antiques including a Mummy.
5. Painting Gallery: exhibits many paintings of Mughal Period, Rajasthan, Deccan etc.
6. Bird Gallery
7. Insect Gallery
8. Mammal Gallery
9. Decorative Art Gallery
10. Mask Gallery
11. Textile Gallery
12. Gandhara Gallery: Many sculptures from Gandhara School of Arts.

Collections of Indian Museum Kolkata

Nathaniel Wallich initially had proposed five sections- archaeological, ethnological, geological, zoological and a technical section. He donated many of his valuable collections to the Oriental Museum, which Asiatic Society later transferred to Indian Museum. Apart from Sir Wallich’s donations, several donations came from different parts of India. According to records, 27 European donors donated 174 valuables from their collections in 1816.

Many Indian donors were encouraged by these European donors. They also came forward and started gifting various items. As a result, collections of the Oriental Museum soon flourished with many valuable paintings, antiques and other items. After foundation of the Indian Museum of Kolkata in 1867, Oriental Museum transferred many of its collections to it.

Asiatic Society had played a critical role in development of Kolkata Jadu Ghar. The society had donated many of its belongings to the Kolkata museum. However, present Asiatic Society of Kolkata still has a museum of its own, especially enormous collections of Sanskrit manuscripts, paintings, pamphlets, maps etc.

Frequently asked questions about Indian Museum Kolkata