Chennai Museum

Government Museum Chennai

Established in 1851, this museum was India’s first government-sponsored museum, starting with 1,000 geological specimens from the Madras Literary Society.

The complex features Indo-Saracenic, Gothic-Byzantine, Mughal, Rajput, and Deccani architectural styles, along with six buildings, a lecture hall, and a museum theatre.

The Connemara Library, with its ornate stained glass and decorations, is one of four depository libraries in India, housing every publication produced nationwide.

The 19th-century Museum Theatre, built in Italianate style, has hosted cultural events and Shakespearean plays since its inception.

Other highlights include Chennai’s first zoo (now in Vandalore), the Centenary Exhibition Hall, and a Manuscript Convention Center attracting thousands of daily visitors.