Goa Chitra Museum, Ethnographic museum in Benaulim, India.
Goa Chitra Museum is an ethnographic museum in Benaulim, in south Goa, displaying a large collection of traditional objects from everyday life in the region. It is divided into several sections covering farming tools, non-motorized vehicles, and objects from the colonial period.
The museum was founded in 2009 by Victor Hugo Gomes, who had spent decades personally collecting objects from across Goa. What began as a private passion grew into one of the few places that systematically preserves the everyday material heritage of the region.
The museum displays farming tools and household objects used in Goa over generations, from rice-processing equipment to kitchen utensils. Walking through the rooms gives a clear picture of how rural life was organized in this part of India.
The museum is located in the Mondo-Waddo neighborhood of Benaulim and is most easily reached by scooter or taxi. The collection is large, so it is worth setting aside a good chunk of time to go through the different sections without rushing.
The museum's name combines "Goa" with "chitra", meaning pictures. Its collection of over 4,000 artefacts is arranged in three parts: Goa Chitra on people and land, Goa Chakra with non-mechanised vehicles from across India, and Goa Cruti on objects the Portuguese introduced. A sugarcane grinder nearly five metres high took Victor Hugo Gomes over two years to restore.
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