Government Museum, Mathura
| Place | Mathura |
|---|---|
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Virtual Museum | No |
| Year of Establishment | 1874 |
| Museum Type | Archaeological / Heritage Museum |
| National Importance Museum | Yes |
| Address | Museum Rd, Dampier Nagar, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281001 |
| Visiting Time | 10:30 AM – 04:30 PM (Tuesday–Saturday) Closed on Sundays, Mondays, and gazetted public holidays. |
| Entry Fee | ₹5 (Indian Adults) ₹2 (Indian Children) ₹25 (Foreign Nationals). Camera fee: ₹20 |
Museum Introduction
Founded in 1874 by Sir F.S. Growse, the Government Museum, Mathura is one of India's premier archaeological institutions. Located in Dampier Park, it is housed in an octagonal red sandstone building. The museum is globally renowned for its extensive collection of artifacts from the Mathura School of Art, spanning the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE.
General Collections
The museum holds over 35,000 antiquities, including approximately 6,000 stone sculptures, 25,000 coins (gold, silver, and copper), and 3,000 terracotta figures. Its galleries primarily showcase Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu iconography, alongside metal figures, pottery, and architectural fragments recovered from in and around Mathura.
Unique Historical Collections
Kushan Royal Portraits: A world-unique series of life-size royal statues of the Kushan dynasty, including the famous headless statue of King Kanishka. Mathura School Buddha: The earliest anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha, showing the transition from symbolic to human form. Parkham Yaksha: A colossal 2nd-century BCE red sandstone statue, one of the earliest known examples of free-standing Indian sculpture.
Additional Information
| Archaeological Survey of India | No |
|---|---|
| Notes | The museum was originally named the Curzon Museum of Archaeology before being renamed. It celebrated its centenary in 1974 with the release of a commemorative postage stamp by the Government of India. |
| Artifacts | Headless statue of King Kanishka; Seated Buddha from Katra; Parkham Yaksha statue; Jain Ayagapatas (votive tablets); 3,000-year-old copper anthropomorphic figure from Shahabad; Statue of Queen Victoria (former Empress of India); Inscribed stele of Emperor Huvishka. |
| Highly Descriptive | Yes |
| Contact Details | +91 565 2403163 |
| Email ID | info@nationalmuseumindia.gov.in |
Artifact Gallery
