Attraction
Amber Fort
Hilltop Rajput palace-fortress above Maota Lake in Amer, about 11 km from Jaipur, known for its courtyards, Sheesh Mahal mirror work and UNESCO-listed walls.
Albert Hall Museum
Rajasthan's oldest museum, an Indo-Saracenic hall in Ram Niwas Garden opened in 1887, with crafts, carpets, coins, arms and an Egyptian mummy.
At a glance
- Type
- State museum
- Area
- Ram Niwas Garden, Jaipur, India
Good to know
- Egyptian mummy
- Gardens
- Level galleries
Why we recommend it
The Albert Hall Museum, officially the Government Central Museum, is the oldest museum in Rajasthan. It stands in Ram Niwas Garden just outside the walled city, opposite New Gate. Its foundation stone was laid in 1876 during a visit by the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, after whom it is named, and it opened to the public in 1887. The building was designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob, the engineer behind several Indo-Saracenic buildings in Jaipur, and mixes Rajput domes and arches with a grand civic layout.
The collection grew out of the arts and crafts gathered by Colonel Thomas Hendley for the Jaipur Exhibition of 1883. That origin still shapes the museum: there are galleries of pottery, metalwork, carved ivory and wood, jewellery, textiles, musical instruments and arms and armour, alongside sculpture and coins from the Gupta, Kushan, Mughal and British periods. Among the highlights are a large 17th-century Persian garden carpet and an Egyptian mummy. The pottery gallery is the largest in the building.
Do not rush through the architecture itself. Painted panels and murals decorate the corridors, some based on the Razmnama, the Persian translation of the Mahabharata, and the courtyards are pleasantly calm after the old city traffic. The museum was renovated in 2008, and displays are clearly arranged.
Allow one and a half to two hours. The museum suits families, craft enthusiasts and anyone wanting a break from forts and steps, as most of it is on level floors. The exterior is also worth seeing from the garden, where the full length of the facade and its domed towers can be taken in.
Colonel Hendley's methods were unusually modern for the time. He introduced guides and demonstrators to explain the objects to visitors, and his detailed handwritten ledger of every item still forms the basis of the museum's inventory. In the early years, Fridays were set aside for women visitors in keeping with the custom of purdah.
The museum is a short walk or auto-rickshaw ride from the old city through New Gate, and MI Road with its shops and restaurants is close by. Ram Niwas Garden around it has open lawns for a stroll.
Albert Hall Museum FAQs
What is the Albert Hall Museum?
It is the Government Central Museum of Rajasthan, the state's oldest museum, opened in 1887.
Where is it?
In Ram Niwas Garden, just outside the old city walls opposite New Gate.
What are the highlights?
An Egyptian mummy, a 17th-century Persian garden carpet, coins, arms and armour, and large crafts collections.
Who designed the building?
Samuel Swinton Jacob designed it in Indo-Saracenic style.
How long should I allow?
About one and a half to two hours.
Is it good for families?
Yes, most galleries are on level floors and the mummy is popular with children.
Is the building itself worth seeing?
Yes. The Indo-Saracenic exterior and painted interior corridors are as much a part of the visit as the collections.
What is nearby?
The old city through New Gate, MI Road and Ram Niwas Garden.