Delhi is often considered one of the best cities in India when it comes to museum experiences thanks to the variety of its institutions. From insightful history museums to fascinating art galleries, there is plenty to choose from depending on individual interests. Besides, if you’re looking to spare yourself from hitting financial rock bottom by trying out free activities in the city, some of these museums in New Delhi offer free admission. Take a look below to discover our top picks.
1. National Museum
Opened in 1949 in the Rashtrapati Bhawan following a successful exhibition of Indian art in the Royal Academy of London, the National Museum is one of the best museums in Delhi. If you’re visiting the city and can’t hit all the galleries and exhibitions, this spot is all-encompassing, covering a range of themes from history to art. It is home to around 200,000 archaeological objects from the Indus Valley Civilization, as well as artefacts, decorative pieces, jewellery, arms and armours, paintings that cover more than five thousand years of Indian cultural heritage.
The National Museum in Delhi offers assistive technologies for disabled people and you can also request a wheel chair during your visit; simply remember to book in advance. What’s more, there are reading materials and other teaching resources available for schools and children so that your little ones can expand your horizons on Indian culture and identity.
🎫 Adults: ₹ 20; Foreign nationals: ₹ 500
🚌 How to get there: Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations
📍 Janpath Rd, Rajpath Area, Central Secretariat, New Delhi, Delhi 110011
2. Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
KNMA is the first, private and modern and contemporary art museum in India. Established in 2010, it’s one of the new museums in India’s capital that focuses on post-Independent and up-and-coming Indian artists.
Currently, this Saket gem offers a range of temporary and rotating art exhibitions that showcase both Indian and international artists. Some of its past exhibits include MIRROR/ MAZE and Sitaare Zameen Par by JH Thakker. Kiran Nadar Museum of Art also houses Vignettes from the Collection, boasting works by Yayo Kusama, Rasheed Araeen and Kelly Sinnapah Mary.
🎫 Free entry
🚌 How to get there: Saket Court & Khirki Village bus stops
📍 No. 145, DLF South Court Mall, Saket, New Delhi, Delhi 110017
3. Gandhi Smriti Museum
Set in the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last days of his life, the Gandhi Smriti Museum is definitely one of the best history museums in New Delhi. The 12-bedroom house was created in 1984 by the merger of Gandhi Darshan at Rajghat and Gandhi Smriti, at 5, Tees January Marg, to tell Gandhi’s life story, his ideals, principles and politics through a collection of carefully preserved photographs, sculptures, paintings, frescos, inscriptions and relics.
🎫 Free entry
🚌 How to get there: Krishan Menon Marg bus stop & LOK Kalyan Marg metro station
📍 Tees January Road, 5, Tees January Marg, near Birla House, New Delhi, Delhi 110011
4. Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
If you’re both a history buff and a fan of interior design, this next museum is for you. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum was the former prime minister’s home and the site where she was also assassinated. Visitors can hear Gandhi’s speeches, see her exquisite private library, photographs of the Nationalist movement, personal memories and photographs of the Nehru-Gandhi family and her childhood.
🎫 Free entry
🚌 How to get there: Tughlaq Crescent, Krishan Menon Marg & Race Course bus stops
📍 1, Safdarjung Rd, Safdarjung Lane Area, Delhi Gymkhana Club, New Delhi, Delhi 110011
5. National Gallery of Modern Art
Located in the Indo-sarcenic-style Jaipur House at the end of Rajpath, the National Gallery of Modern Art has a whopping collection of over 17,000 modern and contemporary artworks by more than 2,000 artists. It displays historic artworks that date back as far as the 1850s. In the 12,000 sq ft space, you’ll find paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs and installations by notable Indian artists in the likes of Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose and Jamini Roy, among others.
🎫 Indian nationals: ₹ 20; Foreign nationals: ₹ 500
🚌 How to get there: Art Gallery bus stop
📍 Jaipur House, Shershah Rd, near India Gate, Delhi High Court, India Gate, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
6. Partition Museum
The name already gives it away. This museum tells the story of the 1947 dissolution of the British Raj and thus, the creation of two independent dominions, namely India and Pakistan. However, its focus remains on the experiences of witnesses and survivors so the narrative is not what you normally find in history books.
During this swift yet violent time, between 14 million and 18 million people moved and around 1 million people died. Set across 14 galleries packed with oral histories, documents, and footage, the Partition Museum wishes to shed a light on the lost lives and on the affected people.
🎫 Indian nationals: ₹ 10; Foreign nationals: ₹ 250
🚌 How to get there: GPO and ISBT Kashmere Gate bus stops or Railway Station
📍 Partition Museum, Ambedkar University, Dara Shukoh Library, Lothian Rd, Delhi, 110006
7. Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial
Featuring 27 exhibits in honour of B. R. Ambedkar, the Minister of Law in the First Nehru ministry, the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial was officially opened in 2018. What immediately catches the eye is the building itself. It is one of the most interesting museums in Delhi because it is shaped like an open book, symbolising the Constitution of India. Besides a recreation of his study, life-size statues of Ambedkar in Vadodara, and during his speeches in the Constituent Assembly, the memorial also has a few Buddhist features because Ambedkar had converted in the 1950s.
🎫 Free entry
🚌 How to get there: Vidhan Sabha metro stop & Old Secretariat bus stop
📍 26, Alipur Road Civil Lines Near Vidhan Sabha, New Delhi, Delhi 110054
8. National Rail Museum
If you like trainspotting, or consider yourself a railway enthusiast, then you should definitely make some time from your busy schedule to visit the National Rail Museum. Located in Chanakyapuri, it is home to locomotives and coaches from the princely states across the Indian Subcontinent from 1862 onwards. You can also hop on some of the trains and go for a breezy ride with your toddlers.
🎫 Adult: ₹ 50 weekday; ₹ 100 weekend
🚌 How to get there: German Embassy bus stop
📍 Chandra Gupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, beside Bhutan Embassy, New Delhi, 110021
9. National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy
With over 35,000 unique pieces, the Crafts Museum is one of the largest museums in New Delhi. Created in 1956 with significant contributions from Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, this treasure house was designed by renowned modern architect Charles Correa. Some of the museum’s highlights include the 250-300-year-old Bhoota Collection from Karnataka, the prized Kashmiri 300-year-old ‘dushalas’, beautiful metal jewellery and the Gallery of Popular Culture.
🎫 Indian nationals: ₹ 20; foreign nationals: ₹ 300
🚌 How to get there: Pragati Maidan bus stops & Supreme Court metro station
📍 Bhairon Marg, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
10. Shankar’s International Dolls Museum
We’re finishing our roundup with a kid’s and collector’s idea of heaven. Situated in the building of the Children’s Book Trust, the Padma Vibhushan award-winning Shankar’s International Doll Museum is home to more than 7000 dolls from almost 85 countries. From over 150 types of authentic Indian costume dolls to Peruvian dresses and Japanese dolls, it’s like going on a journey around the world without leaving the capital.
🎫 Adults: ₹ 25; children: ₹ 10
🚌 How to get there: ITO and Delhi Gate metro stations & ITO bus stop
📍 Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110002