Known for its unmatched beauty, Kashmir has always enticed people worldwide. Titled ‘Paradise on Earth,’ the Valley has since ages been frequented for its spiritual wisdom, daring exploits, romantic pursuits and artistic traditions. And to discover them all in one go, it is equally important to explore the social and cultural phenomenon of how the Valley has maintained its repertoire. Museums exhibit not only the finest sculptures and historical artefacts but also influence the learning environment and offer an immersive experience. If you love exploring and learning about art history, museum studies, cultural construction or visual culture, these museums in Kashmir will interest you. 

Amar Mahal Palace Museum

For a building to be converted into a museum, various factors are to be considered, such as a secure environment, art conservation, and display techniques. Amar Mahal Palace in Jammu & Kashmir is one such structure that has been converted into a museum. Indubitably, the outside view of the palace is majestic to look at with its red sandstone structure. Before you want to explore what’s inside, the palace will leave you in awe with its outstanding location overlooking River Tawi. King Amar Singh of the Dogra dynasty built the palace in the 19th century. At present, the palace houses a Golden Throne – the museum’s highlight – paintings of M.F. Hussain and paintings depicting events from the epic Mahabharata. 

Sri Pratap Singh Museum

Named after another Dogra ruler, Maharaja Pratap Singh, the museum situated on the banks of River Jhelum is a go-to place for history enthusiasts and art lovers. A century later, the museum artefacts were shifted to a new building adjacent to the older one. The three-storey building comprises ten major galleries, including archaeological, decorative, numismatic, arms & armoury, textile, manuscripts & paintings, natural history, mineral/mining, jewellery, etc. Thus, at the site, expect to come across the museum housing archaeological & numismatic items, weapons, paintings, decorative art, jewellery, natural history objects, and more.

Dogra Art Museum

The Dogra Art Museum is an interesting museum with 7000 artefacts, manuscripts, and sculptures. The museum, built inside the Mubarak Mandi Complex, was inaugurated on 18th April 1954 by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The museum was earlier known as Ajib Ghar. Apart from seeing an impressive collection of Dogra art and miniature paintings, the museum has a gold-coated bow and arrow belonging to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, a terracotta head from Akhnoor – a site of Buddhist monastery – and handwritten manuscripts by Firdausi, a Persian poet. 

Recommended Read: Nature At Its Best: Famous National Parks Of Jammu & Kashmir

Wadia Museum of Natural History

Wadia Museum of Natural History is a must-visit for creative and curious minds. Named after Dr D.N. Wadia, known as the Father of Indian Geology, the museum exhibits an extensive section of fossils, minerals, models, meteorites, zoological specimens and information about vertebrate fossils that lived 182 million years ago. There exists a wide collection of books and journals, topographical maps, and photographic materials, all throwing light on the fossil specimens of present-day fauna from the Shivalik region of the Himalayas. The fascinating collection of information on fossil specimens is not only limited to geographical location as it also has information on foreign specimens.

These are just a few museums in Jammu & Kashmir that exhibit excellent insight into preserved artefacts and assorted specimens of Kashmir’s past that constitute its present. Stay tuned to our latest blog to read the second part of this article.