Museums in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, the City Beautiful, is the only city in India to serve as a capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana. If you are interested in an overview of Chandigarh, the city is striking with its expanse of resplendent blue sky in the backdrop of mountains. On approaching the city you will be able to see the jagged skyline of the Shivalik Hills looming large over the horizons. The birth of this modern, young and happening city took place during the partition of India and Pakistan, when the previous capital of Punjab shifted borders and the need for a new capital arose. A glimpse into the history of Chandigarh will show you that it has the honor of being one of the few planned cities of India, the others being Gandhinagar and Dispur. For centuries northern India has seen the confluence of many people from Harappa, one of the earliest civilizations the world has seen to the later Mughal and British. The area around Chandigarh bears witness to ages of rich cultural traditions, whose remnants can still be found in the museums in Chandigarh.

Museums in Chandigarh are some of the best in the country, holding vast hoards of treasures from the past and present era. The list of museums in Chandigarh includes,

- City Museum, Chandigarh
- Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh
- International Dolls Museum, Chandigarh
- Museum of Evolution of Life, Chandigarh

The City Museum, one of the popular museums in Chandigarh, was established in 1997, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of India's independence. The purpose behind the setting up of this museum was to collect, preserve, and display the planning and architectural development that went into the unique urban designing of Chandigarh. As such the City Museum contains original sketches, models, plans, photographs, and documents that display the evolution of the city from stages of rough paper sketches to their realization. The Government Museum and Art Gallery is a famous tourist attraction housing magnificent Gandhara period stone sculptures. The highlights here are stone sculptures, miniature paintings, decorative arts and coins. Another of the curious museums in Chandigarh is the International Dolls Museum, featuring splendid dolls and puppets collected from all over the world. One of the finest museums in India, it serves as an entertainment venue for kids. The Museum of Evolution of Life gives you a fabulous recap of the of the history beginning from the time of Indus Valley Civilization till date.

If you are bored with traveling and sightseeing in Chandigarh, a visit to the museums provide a breath of fresh air for the mind, taking you through the extensive local cultures developed here since the beginning of time.