Metcalfe Hall, Heritage building at Strand Road and Hare Street junction, Kolkata, India
Metcalfe Hall is a Neoclassical building at the junction of Strand Road and Hare Street in Kolkata, defined by thirty Corinthian columns supporting a large entablature. Its interior spans two floors and contains five halls for various purposes.
Construction took place between 1840 and 1844, and the building housed India's first National Library with volumes transferred from the College of Fort William. This collection established it as a repository for knowledge that would support major cultural institutions over the following decades.
The hall now functions as an exhibition space, displaying collections that trace Kolkata's transformation across different periods. You can see how the city evolved through the objects and materials on display here.
The entrance has shifted from the western grand staircase to the eastern portico on Hare Street, where the Archaeological Survey of India operates a sales counter. Plan to enter from the east side of the building and check opening hours before your visit.
The building overlooks the Hooghly River and houses the Asiatic Society's collection of rare foreign journals and manuscripts on its ground floor. This lesser-known collection exists alongside the exhibitions upstairs and contains materials that most visitors tend to overlook.
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