So, you have just an hour to spend at the Government Museum at Egmore? The well-curated museum boasts rooms full of artefacts and history that have stories to tell. To make the most of your visit, we have picked 10 must-see attractions.
This multi-purpose museum is located on a sprawling 16.25 acres of land with six independent buildings that house 54 galleries.
The original proposal for a museum in Madras came from the Madras Literary Society, along with Sir Henry Pottinger, the then Governor, in 1846. The Court of Directors of the East India Company, sanctioned it. In 1851, Dr. Edward Balfour was appointed as the First Officer-in-charge of the Government Museum, and you can see his portrait as you enter Building 1, where they punch your entrance tickets.

Cannons


Did you know that the largest collection of cannons in a museum worldwide is in Chennai? About 40 cannons, collected by the British during the course of the wars they fought in various parts of the Indian subcontinent and Asia, are on display at the Fort Museum at Fort St. George, Srirangapatna and the Egmore Museum.
As you go around Museum Theatre, check out the cannon with a tiger head, mounted on a four-wheeled carriage. On it is the inscription: ‘This gun is believed to have been taken at the fall of Seringapatam in the year 1799’.

Copper Plates


The first floor of this gallery houses the famous Copper Plate grants — similar to the lithic inscriptions carved on temple walls, these are inscribed on sheets of copper, and usually give details of the grant of land to temples or scholars by the king.

Look at the set of 31 plates called ‘The Tiruvalangadu Copper Plates’ (1016-1017). The first 10 plates in Sanskrit have information on Chola genealogy and the history of the Chola kings; the next 21 plates are in Tamil and register the order of the kings and specify the grant given to the village Palaiyanur, to the Shiva temple at Tiruvalangadu.
Also don’t miss how they are strung on a massive ring.

Sati Stones


The first-floor corridor will lead you to the Buddhist/Jain sculptures wing. Right at the end of the corridor, you can spot the Sati Stones. A ‘Mahasatikkal’ is a memorial stone set up over the place when a wife immolates herself on the funeral pyre bearing the corpse of her husband. A closer look at the stone will reveal the hand of Sati decked with bangles, with carvings of the sun and moon, and sometimes with inscriptions.

Jain and Buddhist Sculptures


Jain Sculptures: Most of the exhibits are from Danavulappadu, Andhra Pradesh. Don’t miss the Nishidhi pillars, memorial stones erected for the Jain ascetics who fasted and died according to the Sallekhana to attain salvation.
Amaravati Sculptures: This special hall features the casing slabs of sculpture from Amaravati and other stupas illustrating various scenes from Buddha’s life and the birth stories of the Bodhisattva. Amaravati Sculptures (2nd Century BCE to 2nd Century CE) refer to a large group of sculptures recovered from the ruined stupa at Amaravati in the Krishna Valley in 1801.
You can look at the oldest feet of Buddha in India, dating back to 100 BCE. The huge fragmentary slab has Buddha’s feet carved in a stylised manner with ‘Mahapurusha Lakshanam’. A thousand-rayed wheel is shown in the centre, with a border composed of trisulas and svastikas; just near the toes and feet are makaras, purnakalasas, srivatsas and svastikas.

Anthropology


It offers a glimpse into the prehistoric antiquities of the museum on the ground floor. The notable ones are the ‘Adichanallur’ burial urns and the items from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.

Thanjavur Armoury


You can’t miss the long row of spears mounted on the walls from the Thanjavur Armoury and the exquisitely carved gauntlets, daggers, elephant goads and swords. Also look out for the two large bronze bells secured as trophies from China during the Opium War.

Bronzes Gallery


The ever-popular Bronzes Gallery houses the largest collection of metal figures under a single roof.
Buddhist Bronzes: Check out the seated Lokesvara and Padmapani in the ‘Maharajalila’ pose, the Avalokitesvaras from Nagapattinam; also see the elegant seated Buddha with a Prabha flanked by yalis, and an aureole behind his head bearing a circular course of 35 flames.
Jain Bronzes: See the large Tirthankara metal image of the Pandyan Period.
Pallava Bronzes: These include those of Somaskanda, Vishapaharana, Kannappa Nayanar (look at his footwear too) and Vishnu.
The Tiruvalangadu Bronze: This is a masterpiece of the Cholas. It features a dancing Natesa, with his fan-shaped headdress of feathers, the third eye, his lips pulsating with life, the smile radiating divine grace, a chain of flowers on each shoulder and is one of the unique artefacts to be seen.
Ardhanari Bronze: Housed on the ground floor, this unique bronze of Ardhanari, which is known for its iconography and artistic qualities, is hard to miss. One of the earliest specimens depicting Shiva in bronze, the ‘tribhanga’ pose makes it exquisite.
All the bronzes: Kuram Natarajar, a Nataraja with a leg-reversed pose, Vishnu and Somaskanda are significant here.

Numismatics Section


It houses the plaster cast of medals and coins, magnified for visibility, but you can also watch a video to see the original artefacts. Check out the punch-marked Magadhan-era coins, the Sangam Pandya coins with stylised fish, and the Roman coins which were traded for pepper and sandalwood from India.

Art Gallery


Take a look at some of the original Raja Ravi Varma, Tanjore and Mughal miniature paintings.
Also check out the original ‘Sakuntala’ dated 1901. The painting illustrates Sakuntala seated under a palmyra tree, lost in thoughts, withSage Dhurvasa in the background.
Another painting worth looking at is the oil on canvas of Yasodha and Krishna (1901) and The Lady with a Mirror (1894) which won him a Governor’s gold medal.

Nolamba Sculptures


The Nolambas were one of the most powerful feudatory minor dynasties of South India during the 9th and 10th Century. Hemavati was the capital of their kingdom Nolambavadi and the unique features of their architecture are the svelte sculptures tastefully decorated. They called themselves the Nolamba-Pallavas and you can see the fusion of Pallava-Chalukya elements in the sculptures, which are housed in the main building. It is said, the Cholas carried the Nolamba pillars as war trophies to adorn the Thanjavur and Thiruvaiyaru temples.