Why is the Salar Jung Museum worth a visit?
- The Salar Jung Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of art and artifacts and is a must-see for any history or art lover.
- The Salar Jung Museum is also home to a number of rare and unique items, making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
- The museum houses over 46,000 items, including paintings, sculptures, textiles, weapons, and much more. It’s a true hidden gem and is definitely worth a visit many times over.
- A famous artifact is the ‘Bracket Clock’, where a miniature toy figure comes out of a room and strikes a gong at each hour.
- The marble statue “Veiled Rebecca” is sculpted to look like transparent fabric.
History of Salar Jung Museum:
The Salar Jung Museum, one of the largest museums in the world, exists today because of the family of Salar Jungs, who acquired relics and art from different parts of India and the world. The collections of the family were rich and varied, ranging from sculptures to manuscripts to paintings to ivory to clocks.
The artifacts range from Indian art to Middle Eastern to the Far East and all the way to European art and furniture.
The major part of the collection was no doubt made by Mir Yusuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III.
Turab Ali Khan Salar Jung I was the prime minister to Nizam IV of Hyderabad for a period of 30 years. He was an able administrator and also a great connoisseur of art.
The statue of Veiled Rebecca, one of the prized possessions of the museum, was acquired by Salar Jung I on one of his European sojourns.
Ali Khan Salar Jung II served as a Prime Minister for only a period of 4 years.
Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III served as the Primister under Mir Osman Ali Khan Nizam VII for 4 years and then resigned and dedicated the remaining part of his life to the collection of art objects.
In order to perpetuate the memory of Salar Jung III the legal heirs of Salar Jung donated the entire collection to the Government of India through a compromised deed.
The art collection was given shape and arranged into a museum and open to the public at Diwan Devidi, the ancestral house of Salar Jungs.
Later, the museum was shifted to its current place at Dar-ul-Shifa in the year 1968.
The museum has more than 46,000 artifacts, and currently only part of the collection is on display. In spite of that, it may take at least 3 days if not more, to admire each item if you are an art connoisseur.
Must-see artifacts:
- The Quran stand belonging to Iltu Mish.
- The Jade handle dagger from Emperor Akbar’s period.
- A thumb guard belonging to Shah Jahan.
- Veiled Rebecca – The marble statue has been sculpted such that it seems that the stone is fabric clinging to a body
- Don’t miss the bracket clock which rings every hour.
Tip:
1. Take a guide. It will cost you just Rs 200.00
2. This place is closed on Fridays. Please check with the authorities before visiting.
3. Avoid the bracket clock at noon. It can get pretty crowded at that time.
Entry Fees:
Rs 20 for Indians
Rs 500 for Foreign Visitors
Timings:
10 am to 5 pm on all days except Fridays.
The museum is closed on Fridays.
What to do next?
Check out my article on 41 amazing places to visit in Hyderabad
