A Visit To The Albert Hall Museum In Jaipur, Rajasthan, The Oldest Museum

Being the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is one of the historic cities and popular as the most favorite tourist destination in Rajasthan. The Glorious history, culture, and tradition of Jaipur are the reason tourists are engaged for the entire 365 days of the year here. Jaipur’s history is grand and full of might, which we can see through the architecture of the forts, grand structures, and palaces here. One of these historical monuments is the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur, Rajasthan, one of the oldest museums in the city. In this article, we will discuss everything about Albert hall museum in Jaipur Rajasthan.

About Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan

Albert Hall Museum is the oldest museum, located within the Ram Niwas Garden In Jaipur, and works as a Rajasthan state museum. It is also called the Government Central Museum. However, it is famous as the oldest museum, with many historical and valuable artworks brought from worldwide. Still, it is no less than a beautiful Royal Palace to see. Surrounded by a beautiful Ram Niwas garden, this museum is one of the most significant tourist destinations in Jaipur.

The Albert Hall museum’s foundation was placed on 6 February 1876 when the Prince of Wales Albert Edward was on his tour in Jaipur. This museum was named after the Victorian Architecture and Albert Museum of London, as the architecture design was similar. The Albert Hall museum Jaipur Rajasthan shows the rich history and advanced architecture technology of the previous time. This museum has a huge collection of many important and historical items brought from all over the world.

This collection is divided into fifteen categories: Miniature Paintings, Jewellery, Royal Costumes, Carpets, Marble Art, Wooden Art, Metal sculptures, Ivory, Ancient coins, Pottery, and Royal Arms, and Armors, Musical Instrument, Clay Art, and Pharaonic Antiquities. Many countries’ old civilizations are also depicted in the museum, including European, Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, and Babylonian. This museum has a greenhouse, an aviary; even there is a zoo that is enough to excite tourists.

Apart from being a famous tourist destination, this place is the best place to behold and spend time amidst the lush green garden. Every day, thousands of people worldwide visit this historical museum located in Jaipur and explore the artifacts featured in it. It becomes so majestic beautiful when the sky gets dark, and the museum shines with glowing yellow light. Undoubtedly a remarkable place to get a glimpse of the history and Indian culture.

History of Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan

The history of Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan is believed to be almost 150 years ago. Its foundation stone was placed on 6 February 1876 during the Prince Albert Edward tour of India’s subcontinents. During the construction of this museum, it was not decided how this museum would be used because Maharaj Ram Singh wanted this museum to be a town hall; after the suggestion of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II 1880, this place was constructed as a temporary museum in 1881 to display the products of local artisans.

This museum was built to please and entice Prince Albert because it will improve the relationship between Maharaja ram Singh and British Royal Court. Even they painted the entire Jaipur city in Pink color as the welcoming symbol. By 1881, this museum’s beauty had started to appear, and people from all over the world started to come here to explore the artifacts, handicrafts, and other beautiful artworks present here. However, this building was under construction till 1887.

The Albert Hall Museum Jaipur construction was completed in 1887 by Colonel Samuel Swinton Jacob, the Jaipur PWD director. After this, the artifacts from the temporary museum were transferred to the newly constructed Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan, and in 1887, it was open for everyone as a public museum. Maharaja Ram Singh’s successor Sawai Madho Singh fulfilled Maharaja’s dream, thus portraying a new Jaipur city progressing into the contemporary era. Today this Museum is standing with all the charm as an artistic masterpiece of Royal Rajasthan.

The Architecture of Albert Hall Museum

The royal structure of the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur was made with Indo- Saracenic architecture. The museum’s corridors are decorated with frescoes in various styles, and many old civilizations of Egyptian, European, Chinese, Greek, and Babylonian are depicted here. There are many monuments, forts, palaces, and temples with the best architecture in India, one of them is the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur. Like a grand palace in view, this museum is a great example of architectural artistry.

This beautiful museum was designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob (a British army officer and great architect), with Mir Tujumul Hosin. Sir Samuel Swinton has perfectly shown the Indo-Saracenic architecture in a very spectacular way through this Albert Hall. The architecture of the Albert Hall Museum is a perfect blend of elaborate Islamic architecture and Neo-gothic style. In the British era, this unique architectural design had been used in many public and government buildings.

Surrounded by the Ram Niwas garden, this museum attracts people coming from here with its grandeur. This museum’s beauty relies on its most advanced and balanced architecture in which domes, carved arches, pillars, and beautifully decorated corridors are included. After the dark, The Albert Hall Museum becomes the epitome of Jaipur city in the colorful light and beautiful yellow light.

But the entrance inside the museum at night opens at a particular time, so you have to enjoy this colorful view from outside. This museum reflects the history of Jaipur city, and if you are curious about the history of Jaipur and love to explore such historical art, then Albert hall museum is the best place for you.

Amazing Collections and galleries inside the Albert Hall Museum

The Albert Hall Museum is most popular for its art galleries and amazing collections of historical and valuable artefacts as we all know that there are various galleries inside the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur, which includes Miniature Paintings, ornaments, Royal Costumes, expensive Carpets, Marble Art, Wooden Artwork, metal sculptures, ivory, Ancient coins, pottery, Royal arms, and armours, Musical Instrument, Clay art, international arts, and antiquities. But what makes it more interesting is the Egyptian mummy from 322-30 B.C., which has been preserved with great care here. The Albert Hall Museum houses various interesting and knowledgeable galleries that display objects and treasures dating from the 19th century to ancient times. Let’s know more about these galleries and collections.

1) Miniature Painting Gallery:- This gallery is decorated with many miniature paintings depicting Rajasthan and Jaipur’s history. Many pictures and miniature paintings of the history of the Mewar dynasty of Rajasthan have been displayed on the walls here. In this gallery, you can also see the Jain wooden painting with lacquer and many paintings are depicting the Ramayana period. It also displays some local art.

2) Coin Gallery:- In this gallery, you will find a wide range of coins of ancient times, which have been dug from different parts of Rajasthan and preserved in this Museum. This wide range of coins is associated with the Mughal’s reign, including Akbar, Shah Jahan, Jahangir, and Aurangzeb’s reign. These coins are scarce and displayed in this museum so the new generation could know about India’s history.

3) Gallery of Jewelleries:- In this section of the gallery, you will find various types of ornaments associated with past-time peasants and artisans. These ornaments are mostly made of silver and brass metal, including necklaces, rings, anklets, bracelets, and hairpins. Although the cost of these ornaments worn by the peasants in the past time is low, their rarity makes them valuable. This  Jewellery gallery also features the 19th-century Jaipur elites.

4) Garment & Textile Gallery:- This gallery holds and wide range of royal clothes worn by the royal families and unique Rajasthani textile work. In these royal garments, extensive embroidery work has been done, which is displayed through these clothes include Sanganeri prints, Kotadoria, bandhish work, Gota work, and lacework. Through these clothes, we get knowledge about royal dresses.

5) Carpets Gallery:- This gallery houses an immense collection of Persian Garden carpets, a splendid example of Persian carpets around the world. Mirza Raja Jai ​​Singh purchased these carpets in 1632.  These carpets give a glimpse of the Persian garden. This work of art has divided into four sections and various subsections. Tortoise fishes, birds, and other Chinese animals are depicted brilliantly in every section of the colors. Apart from this, round-shaped carpets and doormats with Mughal and floral patterns can also be seen in the gallery.

6) Clay Art Gallery:- This section holds an extensive range of clay art of the 19th century and recent time artworks. These clay artworks include the traditional face mask, sociological themes, various yoga postures, caste system, and others artworks. Here you will see various kinds of clay models that perfectly depicted the old-time life procedure like judicial execution, saint doing yoga, and many others.

7) Music Instruments Gallery:- Here, you will experience the musical instruments of ancient times. In this collection, various types of instruments that are not available to see easily in the present time include Dhap, Shehnai, Masak Baja, Karana, Rabab, and Pungi Ravan Hatha. Some of these instruments are rare and were used to entertain the king.

8) Arms and Armour Gallery:- This is one of the most interesting galleries among others as here is the collection of various arms and armors associated with Mughal, Rajput, Afghan, Arab, Turkish. This gallery displays the Sword, Spears, Shields, helmets, tiger knives, and clubs made in silver and gold. In this collection, we get to know about the weapons used in the era of kings.

9) Marble Art Gallery:- In this Gallery, Marble sculptures made during the Mughal reign, and 19th century, statues made by local artisans are displayed. It also contains idols brought from the ruined temples that have been stored. The most popular sculptures in this collection are Jain Tirthankars, Dasa Avatar, Navgrahas, Shiv Pariwar, and others.

10) Pottery Gallery:- This gallery in the Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan depicts various types of pottery of the 19th century. The top-class craftsmanship of India can be seen in the pottery gallery. The perfectly designed white quartz clay vase, double-handled Surahi, and the iconic blue pottery of Jaipur are some of the attractions of this gallery.

Apart from all these galleries, an Egyptian mummy is 2300 years old and carefully preserved in this Museum. Do you know that this mummy is the prime attraction of this museum, attracting thousands of tourists across the world? This mummy has been displayed among the other artifacts and rare objects of history. This mummy is in a glass box where anybody can see this amazing piece of Egyptian civilization. Along with this, the method of mummification has also been displayed to give information about it.

Some Facts about the Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan

• This museum was initially built as a town hall; later, on Sawai Madho Singh II recommendation, this building was designed as a museum.
• The Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur is also known as the Government Central Museum, which is the oldest museum in Rajasthan.
• Initially, this museum was constructed to tempt Prince Albert Edward on his Jaipur visit.
•  Inside the Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan, there is Darbar Hall which has a big floor, and the carpet by which this floor has been covered is supposed to be one of the oldest and best carpets in the world. 
• The mummy preserved in the Albert Hall Museum is one of only six mummies in India. The others are in Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.
• This Egyptian mummy is 2300 years old, and its name was Tutu, who was from a family of priests and a teenaged girl.
• This Egyptian Mummy was taken out from its box for the first time in over 130 years to save it from drowning due to rain
• One of the greatest authors, Rudyard Kipling, after seeing the grand structure and mesmerizing beauty of the Albert Hall Museum, said, “It is now a rebuke to all other museums in India from Calcutta downwards.”

How to reach Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan

Jaipur, the Pink City of Rajasthan, is quite famous not just in India in foreign countries also. Every day thousands of people come to Jaipur to explore the history and royal structure of this city. Jaipur city is well connected with the major cities of the country. It is easily accessible through rail, road, and air. There are many options of travel for Indian and Foreign visitors.

By Air:- If you are planning to visit Albert Hall Museum through Air, the Jaipur International Airport is the nearest airport to Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan, Which is only 10 km away from the location. It is well connected with major cities, and you can hire a cab, taxi, or auto-rickshaw from here.

By Train:- It is the most used route to reach Jaipur city, The nearest railway station to reach Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan is Merta Road Junction Railway Station, which is only 2 km Far. Trains are easily available from the major cities in the country.

By Road:-  If you are planning to reach Albert hall Museum by road, the national highway is connected to India’s major cities. Many Rajasthan Government government Buses (RSRTC) are available from Delhi to Jaipur, by which you can easily reach the museum.

The Best time to visit Albert Hall Museum

Rajasthan is known for its heat, and it gets sunny weather in summer, due to which it is challenging to visit such a historical place. Thus, in the winter season, the month of October to February is the most delightful time to visit the Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan. The weather here is quite blissful and cold in these months, in which it becomes quite entertaining to see these places. The scorching and unbearable heat of here spoils the fun of visiting these beautiful tourist places of Jaipur.

Places to visit near Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur

Jaipur is surrounded by various tourist spots, including Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Moti Dungri Temple, and many others. All these places reflect the royal history of Jaipur. When we visit these places, it takes us to a time of history when the king used to rule. These historic buildings associated with the glorious history of Jaipur are now one of the most famous tourist places of Jaipur in which the Albert Hall Museum is also included.

1. Amer Fort:- One of the finest architectural works at that time. When we walk through this huge structure, we get a glimpse of the life of Royal families. Situated on Cheel ka Teela on the Aravalli Hills, this fort is the favorite tourist destination in Jaipur.
2. Hawa Mahal:- Located on one side of the road in the city of Jaipur, this building is a wonderful piece of artistry. This five-storey palace is built by Rajput architecture in the shape of a hive. The center of attraction of this palace is the 953 windows present here, due to which it was named Hawa Mahal.
3. Nahargarh Fort:- It is one of the huge beautiful royal forts to visit in Jaipur, stated in the Aravalli ranges. In this fort, there are many magnificent things to see for tourists, one of which is the Sheesh Mahal. The famous sun point is also here where you can enjoy the sunset. 
4. Jal Mahal:- Situated in the Maan Sagar Lake center, this exotic palace attracts people with its beauty. Such a magnificent palace in the midst of a large open environment is enough to entice anyone. Here you can take pictures,  boat rides, and enjoy the local cuisine.

Important Information about Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Rajasthan

• Location:- Museum Rd, Ram Niwas Garden, Kailash Puri, Adarsh Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302004
• Visiting Hours:- The timings are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm every day. 
• Entry Fees:-  The entry fees for Indians is INR- 40 per person, and for foreign tourists, it is INR- 300 per person. For students ticket price is different. For Indian students, it is INR- 20 per person, and for international students, it is INR- 150 per person. The night visit entry fee is INR- 100 for all. There is no entry fee for children below 7 years of age. 
• There is no entry fee for student groups between 10 am to 12 pm based on the respective institution’s recommendation every day.  On some important days, this museum is free for every visitor, which includes
  • World Heritage Day – 18 April
  • Rajasthan Day – 30 March
  • World Museum Day – 18 May
  • World Tourism Day – 27 September

• Albert Hall Museum Jaipur Composite Entry Ticket
  • 300 per person for Indians
  • 40 per person for Indian Students
  • 1000 per person for Foreign Tourists
  • 200 per person for Foreign Students 

This ticket is valid for two days for visiting all or any of the following sites:-Amber Fort, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar (Observatory), Nahargarh Fort, Vidhya Dhar garden, Sisodia Rani garden & Isarlat (Sargasooli).

Some Useful Tips for the Visitors

• Always carry a water bottler and other essentials with you on your trip to the Museum.
• If you plan your trip in summer, carry sunscreen and wear comfortable clothes such as cotton wears.
• Photography is not allowed inside the premises; rather, you can take a mobile snap.
• You can have the refreshment after your Albert hall museum visit behind the ticket counter.
•  You can hang out in the Ram Niwas garden.
• Try to come early to avoid the rush at the ticket counter.
• Food items are not allowed inside the museum, so neither carry any food items with you.
• Keep the museum clean and don’t throw any waste inside the premises.

Frequently Asked Questions