Location : Red Fort, Old Delhi
Attractions : Paintings, Textiles, Costumes, etc from Mughal period
Archaeological Museum of Delhi is situated in the Mumtaz Mahal (palace) of the Red Fort. The museum has on display some of the rare relics dating back to the Mughal era, along with an array of manuscripts that serve as the proof of the fine calligraphy of the past. The main reason behind the establishment of the museum was to collect all the items reminiscent of the history of the city, left unexplored, under one roof. Archaeological Museum comprises of the excavated objects belonging to the Maurya, Sunga, Kushana, Rajput and the Muslim period.
Archaeological Survey of India carried excavations at the Purana Quila in 1955 and then again, from 1969 to 1973. The excavations came up with items like pottery, antiquities, coins, jewelry, seals, rock edicts, remnants of old buildings and palaces, etc. One can also find fine arts, calligraphic works, costumes, maps, manuscripts and weapons displayed inside the Archaeological Museum of Delhi. This museum comprises of a number of sections. One section is for the 2nd and 3rd century artifacts.
Then, there is a separate segment for the Indus Valley Civilization. Another one of the sections of the Delhi Archaeological Museum is dedicated to Bahadur Shah Zafar. It comprises of the items used by the Emperor during his lifetime, including his pearl-embroidered silk robes and a silver hookah. There is another section dedicated to the artifacts related to the 1857 war (First War of Indian Independence) like maps and weapons used during that time.
Other attractions of the Archaeological Museum of Red Fort consist of crafted swords, hookahs, chess sets, embroidered textiles, decorative blue tiles, paintings, etc. The museum also serves as a venue for workshops and seminars, held for the purpose of making the tourists a little familiar with the history of the city. So, if you are interested in knowing the cultural and historical heritage of the capital city of India, the Archaeological Museum is your best bet. You can come here any day of the week, between 9 am to 5 pm, except government holidays.