New Delhi is home to a mind-boggling 51 museums covering every topic imaginable.
All the museums are within 2 kilometers of any station on the Delhi Metro.
I have published line-wise museum lists on Google Maps as below:
Museums on Delhi Metro Violet Line - Total 18
Museums on Delhi Metro Yellow Line - Total 12
Museums on Delhi Metro Magenta Line - Total 04
Museums on Delhi Metro Blue Line - Total 05
Museums on Delhi Metro Red Line - Total 05
Museums on Delhi Metro Aqua Line - Total 01
On 11-March-2021 I visited the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial in Delhi. The building is in the form of an open book that is the constitution of India drafted under the guidance and chairmanship of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar who was a highly learned and scholarly person in India in the 19th and 20th century.
Dr. Ambedkar earned doctorates in Economics from both the University of Columbia in the US and from London University. Besides this, he was a politician and social reformer who worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the downtrodden people of India in the first half of the 20th century. Hence the design of the museum is a befitting tribute to Dr. Ambedkar.
After stepping in from the main entrance I was teleported into an entirely different world that was huge and dark but full of dozens of multimedia displays that were more than 30 feet tall.
I had never seen so large displays before. So I stood there in awe marveling at the life-size portraits of the events in the life of Dr. Ambedkar.
In the photo below is the model of the Parsi house where Dr. Ambedkar lived as a Parsi since people from the upper caste won’t allow those from other casts to stay there. Today this has become a thing of the past and people of all caste and creed live together. This was not so a few centuries earlier and during the same period when slavery was prevalent elsewhere in the world.
I especially liked this rare photo that was taken after Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar came out of a long period of meditation following the sad demise of his wife after which he was transformed into a monk and people started calling him Babasaheb from there on, according to the tour guide. This is also clearly written in the photo below if you zoom in closer.
After entering, an imposing statue of Dr. Ambedkar greets you and it is an amazing 25 ft tall.
At every place, there is a QR code to scan to read more about the stall or the gallery. The tour guide is also available for no cost and the museum entry is also free.
Also, an app can be downloaded for the entire museum which gives all the information about the various galleries.
This is a wax statue of Dr. Ambedkar when he was sitting under a tree at Baroda Railway Station when his train to Mumbai was delayed and here he decided to work for the cause of the underprivileged people of India.
These are life-size wax figures of Dr. Ambedkar who is witnessing Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, signing the constitution of India in the presence of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and Dr. Abul Kalam Azad besides other ministers.
This is the full replica of the original constitution of India. Also, there is an entire gallery that displays large size photos of the important pages from the constitution.
This museum is constructed on the same site where Dr. Ambedkar lived in Delhi and also breathed his last. So they have preserved his office, drawing room, and study room with all his articles, books, and also a stuffed model of his pet dog Moti.
Also, note the original violin that Dr. Ambedkar liked to play and more importantly the huge collection of his books.
The time on the wall clock shows has stopped when Dr. Ambedkar passed away so everything is frozen at that instance.
This is a fully air-conditioned meditation hall where you must leave your shoes and ego outside to gain some enlightenment and peace in the presence of the Buddha.
The Panch-Teerth are the five places in the life and career of Dr. Ambedkar of special significance:
- Janma Bhoomi - Dr. Amedbkar’s birthplace in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
- Shiksha Bhoomi - The place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK.
- Deeksha Bhoomi - in Nagpur, where he took education.
- Mahaparinirvan Sthal - in Delhi - this museum.
- Chaitya Bhoomi - in Mumbai.
The above Panchteerth is the concept proposed by the prime minister of India Narendra Bhai Modi.
Outside the building are the 10 Buddhist Mudras - Abhay, Dnyan, Karn, Vitark, Bhumisparsh, Varad, Ksepan, Dharmachakra, Vajra, and Uttarbodh.
In front of the main entrance is an amazing Ashok Pillar in bronze.
Also on the premises is this wonderful garden with colorful fountains and waterfalls.
This is the other side and all around, soothing music and gentle recital of Buddham Sharanam Gachhami can be heard.
There is also a superb restaurant called Cafe Sanchi offering a wide variety of menu ranging from a full Thali to Pav Bhaji, Dahi Bhalle, Chhole Bhature, various fruit juices, sandwiches, and Samosa. I tried the Kadhi-Pakoda-Chawal combo that was ossom in taste.
The museum and the cafe have an attached and fully accessible washroom/toilet and also the seating in the cafe has wheelchairs as seen in the collage above.
Quick Facts
Entry Ticket: Free.
Tour Guide: Free.
Timing:
12: noon to 8: pm in Summer, and
11: am to 7: pm in Winter.
Closed on: Monday.
Nearest Metro Station: Vidhan Sabha on Yellow Line 200 meters from the station gate 3.
Accessibility Features
The museum has all the necessary accessibility features for the differently-abled and visually-impaired.
The outdoors is also fully accessible as seen in the photo collage below.
Here’s a brief summary:
Ramp Access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
What Else To Do In Delhi
While you are in Delhi, these are the top-recommended places:
