Asutosh Museum of Indian Art, Art museum at University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
The Asutosh Museum of Indian Art is an art collection at the University of Calcutta housing around 25,000 objects from Indian civilization. The collection includes sculptures, paintings, folk art, textiles, manuscripts, coins, woodcuts, terracotta pieces, and decorative objects spanning various periods.
The museum was founded in 1937 as India's first public university museum, beginning with just five objects. Over time, the collection grew through the dedication of curators and donations, building one of the country's most important art collections.
The museum displays art forms from across India, including sculptures and illustrated manuscripts that reveal how different regions developed their own artistic traditions. Visitors can see handmade objects and religious artworks that show how craftspeople expressed their stories and beliefs over centuries.
The museum is located near College Street and is open on weekdays for visitors. You should plan enough time to walk through the different galleries, since the exhibitions contain many objects to see.
The museum preserves an illustrated paper manuscript from Nepal dating to around 1105, making it one of its most valuable holdings. Additionally, the institution runs a postgraduate diploma course in museology, turning the space into a training center for museum professionals.
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