Government Museum, Vellore
State Government Museum – Vellore
Government Museum is located inside the premises of the Vellore Fort. The Museum was established in the year 1985 as the 6th Museum in the district in order to spread knowledge about the erstwhile North Arcot District (present Vellore and Thiruvannalamai).
Its Significance
The district of Vellore has a wide historical and cultural significance. It has come under the reigns of different rulers – Pallavas, Cholas, Sambuvarayas and Vijayanagaras. The city has played a vital role in the history of Tamil Nadu and has served as the capital city during the last phase of Vijayanagar Empire.
Vellore Fort has stood the testimony of time with its ownership being passed at different points of time. The successors of Tipu Sultan and subsequently the last king of Sri Lanka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha were kept as captives inside the fortress.
Government Museum highlights these historical events and has a wide range of artifacts of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Botany and Zoological importance.
The Museum and its Galleries
A visit to the Museum takes you through a galore of knowledge of History, Art, Culture and Heritage of Vellore District. The Museum welcomes its visitors with a 16 feet high life size fiberglass model of Tyrannosaurus. Two 18th century cannons unearthed from Vellore Fort are kept at the entry. The Museum has eight different galleries that attract tourists.
- Introductory Gallery about the District – The Gallery displays photographs of monuments, prominent tourist places and geographical maps of Vellore and Thiruvannamalai.
- Stone Sculptures Gallery – Stone sculptures during the reign of different kingdoms like Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar dynasties are displayed in the gallery.
- Prehistoric and Philately Gallery – Some of the prehistoric artifacts displayed in the gallery include stone tools, hand axes, burial urns and potteries of different kinds. Philately gallery has some rare displays of stamps of different countries.
- Art Gallery – Paintings that include oil colour, water colour and acrylic paintings of different artists are displayed in the gallery.
- Natural Science Gallery – The displays in this gallery include specimens of zoological importance, aquatic birds, marine organisms, medicinal plants, rocks, minerals and fossils.
- Bronze Gallery – This gallery has some of the unique and artistic bronze collections. Amballur Jain bronzes, collections from Vellore and Thiruvannamalai Districts and antiquities of the last ruler of Lanka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha are truly noteworthy.
- Numismatic Gallery – The gallery has some of the most interesting coins displayed.
- Anthropology Gallery – It depicts the life styles of tribal people through the many objects and ornaments that are placed here.
Vellore Museum’s Opening Time
The Museum is open on all days from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
How to reach Vellore Museum
Government Museum is located in the Vellore Fort. Vellore Fort is located at a distance of 138 kilometres from Chennai. Katpadi Junction in Vellore (around 7.5 kilometres north of the fort) is the nearest railway station.
Vellore is well connected by road and rail with all the major cities in South India. The nearest international airport is at Chennai, 128 kilometres east of Vellore.