National Art Gallery, Egmore, Chennai
National Art Gallery is situated in Egmore, Chennai,
is one of the oldest art galleries in India. Constructed with red stones
sourced from Satyavedu
in Andhra
Pradesh, the Gallery was built in 1906 in Indo-Saracenic
architecture and houses paintings from Thanjavur, Rajasthan, Kangra and Deccan areas,
as well as sandalwood sculptures.
History
The National Art Gallery was built during the
celebration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in
Indo-Saracenic style, designed by architect Henry
Irwin. The National Art Gallery was built of sandstone in the year
1907 by T. Namberumal Chetty. Earlier it was known as Victoria Memorial Hall. The
Gallery has been identified as a Heritage site by the CMDA. In 2002
the gallery has been closed for tourists, due to several building flaws and
structural instability, which triggered severe criticism from art critics. In
2013, the Gallery was set for a major face lift with Chief Minister Dr. J. Jayalalithaa
allocating ₹ 110 million for repairs and forming an expert committee
for its restoration.
The Gallery
The National Art Gallery consists of four different
sections, which include Tanjore Painting Gallery, Decorative Art Gallery,
Indian Traditional Art Gallery and Raja Ravi Varma Painting Gallery. The
miniature paintings from the Mughal era, handicrafts from 11th and
12th centuries and Rajput paintings from the 18th and 19th
centuries are also on display. Portraits of various British officers such as
Lord Connemara and Lord William Bentinck are also present. The art gallery
also included numerous miniature paintings depicting court and battle scenes.
Museum Timings
·
Museum remains
open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
·
Closed
on Fridays and National holidays.
Entrance Fees
Indians: (Adults) Rs. 15,
(Children below 12 years) Rs. 10, Rs. 5 (Students and teachers in group with
prior permission)
Foreigners: Rs. 250 (adults),
Rs. 125(children), Rs. 75 (Students and teachers in group with prior
permission)
Camera Fee: Rs 200 (still
photography), Rs 500 (video camera)
Connectivity
The Museum Complex is located at about 250 meters from Egmore
Women’s Hospital Bus Stop, 600 meters from Egmore Court Bus Stop, 1 Km from Egmore
Children’s Hospital Bus Stop, 3 Kms from Nehru Park Metro Station, 3 Kms from
Egmore Bus Stand, 2 Kms from Egmore Railway Station, 2 Kms from Egmore Metro
Station, 5 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station, 10 Kms from Koyambedu
Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus and 17 Kms from Chennai Airport. The National Art
Gallery is situated inside the Government Museum Complex on Pantheon Road in
Egmore, Chennai.
Location
