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Monday, September 30, 2019

National Art Gallery, Egmore, Chennai

National Art Gallery, Egmore, Chennai
National Art Gallery is situated in EgmoreChennai, 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 ThanjavurRajasthanKangra 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