Government Museum Chennai is the second oldest museum in India (after the Kolkotta Museum). It is situated at the heart of the Chennai city, at Egmore. It is also known as the Madras Museum or Egmore Museum.

Egmore Museum was opened in 1851 and has a rich collection of archaeological and numismatic items. The Museum is credited with having the most extensive Roman antiquities collection outside Europe. The Colossal Museum Theater, a 19th-century theater, is one of the most popular attractions here.

Museum theater at Chennai Government Museum.

The National Art Gallery inside the Museum Premises has paintings of the Great Raja Ravi Varma.

National Art Gallery building inside the Chennai Government Museum.

The Government Museum at Chennai was housed in a building at College Road, Nungambakkam, from 1851 to 1854, before it was shifted to the present building complex at Egmore, Chennai. A Library and reading room started functioning in 1859. The current Museum Complex at Chennai has six buildings and 46 galleries, spread over an area of around 16.25 acres.

An A/C 3D theater is under construction. The theater proposes to screen a 20-minute-long film, five times daily, and the equipment will be brought from the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata. There is a Museum of Children inside the premises.

Government Museum at Chennai is also a “Manuscript Conservation Center”. Thousands of manuscript books were given preventive or curative care treatments.

The first Zoo of Madras, now situated at Vandaloor near Tambaram, was also established on the same premises in 1855.

How Do I Go To Government Museum Chennai?

The Government Museum is in the heart of Chennai city on Patheon road, Egmore. This government Museum is next to the Connemara Public Library and Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (Children’s Hospital), under the Patheon Flyover.

It’s around one kilometer from Egmore railway station, one of the oldest railway stations in south India. Chennai Central railway station is another major nearby railway station at around three kilometers distance from the Museum, which is connected to almost all parts of the country. There are local bus services from most parts of Chennai city to Egmore.

2022 Update

Votive stupa from Sarnath is now on display at the Chennai Egmore Museum.

Government Museum Chennai Egmore – Museum timings

Government Museum Chennai opens at 9.30 a.m. and closes by 5 p.m., except on Fridays, a holiday for the Egmore Museum. The 3 National holidays are also holidays for the Museum. i.e., Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanthi are holidays for the Museum at Egmore.

Accommodation near Egmore Museum Chennai

Many hotels are there opposite the Museum and other nearby areas, with different price points.

Opposite the museum, there is a three-story building with many rooms. It is called the ICSA Program Center. Some Christian management runs it. ICSA Program Center and the rooms are in the same building. The front portion is the ICSA Program Center, whereas the back portion has the rooms available for rental. Room rent is relatively cheap and is suitable for budget-conscious travelers.

There are many a/c rooms with a lift facility. The air conditioners look old. Still, the atmosphere is calm and quiet, with ample car and bike parking. Tea and snacks are available here. It’s pretty difficult to find out about this place. The entrance is close to a big banyan tree, opposite where Casa Major Road joins Patheon Road.