From stories of freedom fighters set in a former jail to the rare artefacts in India's first museum, these are some of the city's best repositories of history, people, and art

Kolkata's ability to straddle its past and present are apparent across the board from its buildings and streets to its monuments, eateries and even its icons. It is but natural that this is a city whose museums are its most cherished keepsakes. The seed of India's first museum as a dedicated institution that would preserve and exhibit relics from the past was first planted through The Asiatic Society, which later gave birth to The Indian Museum, the largest and oldest organised museum in the country. From the sprawling mansion of nineteenth-century merchants to the ancestral houses of historical figures, from the humble beginnings of the GPO House to state-of-the-art themed museums -- the city has a repository of history preserved in its every nook and corner. If you are planning to visit Kolkata museums, here is your guide on what to seek out at every spot.

The Alipore Jail in Kolkata stands as a testament to the sacrifices our freedom fighters made in their fight against British rule in India. The jail was shut down in February 2019 and has since been developed as a heritage site and a museum. "The Alipore Museum's primary theme is the freedom movement in India, with a special focus on Bengal. In that sense, it's a unique space, because the museum pays tribute to those same people, who were once incarcerated or hanged here," says the director of the museum, Jayanta Sengupta. As you walk through its towering gates, you will find patriotic lyrics of Kazi Nazrul Islam inscribed on the wall on your left. The path takes you through the individual cells of Jawaharlal Nehru, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sri Aurobindo, and many other freedom fighters. Inside some of these cells, there are makeshift exhibits that eerily replicate the daily lives of the prisoners- bathing, chatting, reading and protesting against the whips of the prison guards. Remember to climb the watchtower and end your visit with the sombre site of the gallows. The museum also has a sound and light show in the evenings in Bengali and Hindi.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's ancestral three-storeyed house was repurposed into a biographical museum in 1961 by Netaji Research Bureau, under the guidance of his nephew, Dr Sisir Kumar Bose. The museum offers visitors an insight into Netaji's lifelong political struggle through past relics and photographic or videographic documents. On the first floor, you can see the bedroom which Netaji shared with his father, Janakinath Bose. From the bedroom, painted footsteps of Netaji trace the path outside the house that Netaji had followed during The Great Escape of 1941. At that time he had fled from house arrest and had gone to Germany to gather support for India's nationalist struggle. The museum also showcases the historic Wanderer Car in which Netaji had been driven by his nephew during the escape plus a collection of rare photographs, letters and even Netaji's clothes. A small bookshop on the ground floor is worth stopping by to take a look at a wide range of publications by the Netaji Bureau plus video and audio recordings of Netaji's speeches.

In 18th-century Bengal, the then Puisne judge of the Old Supreme Court, Sir William Jones suggested the idea of a Society that would enquire into the history, arts, science, and literature of Asia. After a few decades, a Danish physician and botanist, Nathaniel Wallick offered his personal collection to the Society, proposing the formation of a museum within the Society. Thus, India's first museum was born. The Society Museum boasts of an enriched collection of rare manuscripts, maps, lithographs, books, archival documents, and archaeological objects. As you enter, the staff will offer you some books to acquaint yourself with the museum's vast collection. Then you will be taken to the museum on a different floor. Visitors as well as academics find this museum of great interest. Some of the museum's iconic possessions are the Edict of Asoka in granite from 250 BCE, a Brahma statue in black basalt stone from 12th CE, Maitryavyakarana manuscript from 940 CE in a combination of Kutila and Ranjana script, a palm leaf manuscript of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita from 1231 CE, and many more such rare gems.

If you think that this museum is for science nerds, you could not be more wrong. The museum was established in 1959 and is administered by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. As you step in, you will find a large wheel rotating on a pool, ceaselessly watered by a giant tap. Upon entering, go to the building on your right and explore the exhibits on the first floor: a dark passage that freezes your shadow, a harmonium that plays a melody when you wave your hand, a football flying in the air, and a slightly odd machine that rudely accuses you of being a binge smoker or drinker -- this exhibit will make you yelp in surprise at every twist and turn. The floor above has a children's section full of fun games and rides and an adult section with several interactive video games. On the adjacent building, you will find exhibits on the evolution of transport in India featuring early models of trains, trams, metro and double-decker buses. There is also a space museum, biotechnology gallery, television gallery, mathematics gallery, electricity gallery, and metals gallery dedicated to each field. The museum also holds several live shows on science, 3D film explainers and expert demonstrations.

The Jorasanko Thakurbari is Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house in Kolkata. The museum curates each aspect of the Nobel Laureate's life, from his birth to his death and his extensive literary afterlife. Upon entering you will come across the room where Thakur breathed his last. You can also visit Thakurbari's birthing room where the women of the household were taken to during labour. However, upon peering closer into that room, you will find a broken door encased in glass. A stair goes down behind that door, leading to the poet's real birthing room, which is not open to visitors due to its fragile state. There is a portrait gallery that features life-size portraits of every notable member of the Thakur family. As you look around the room, you will find the eyes of each portrait following you due to the perspective and mastery. On another side of the building, you will find dedicated galleries on Hungary, China, Japan, the US, and Italy, documenting Tagore's visit to all these countries. One of the lovely things about this museum is the enduring love for Tagore that exists and one will often find visitors sitting on the stairs and singing Rabindra Sangeet with each other, keenly experiencing the poet's presence and life within the halls and the balconies of his home.

For first-time visitors to North Kolkata, this sprawling 19th-century neoclassical mansion is a must-visit and one of the best preserved structures of its time. The building is a throwback to an era when such palatial buildings dotted the narrow streets of the city's "Black Town" and reflected the wealth of its landed gentry as well as their east-west aesthetics. The Marble Palace was built in 1835 by Raja Rajendra Mullick, a rich Bengali merchant with a penchant for art. He constructed his home with 126 different types of marble imported from various parts of the world and embellished it with Corinthian columns, manicured gardens, fountains, statues as well as traditional Bengali architectural elements like a courtyard and a thakur dalan. The home also had a private menagerie with hornbills, deer, baboons and more. Mullick's passion for collecting art lent itself perfectly to the foundation of a museum. Mullick's descendants continue to live in one section of the mansion while the major portion of it has been turned into a museum. Inside, you will come across Victorian-era sculptures of Greek gods and goddesses, statues of Napoleon, Wellington, and many other rare collectables. Keep an eye out for the original paintings of Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Peter Paul Rubens, Raja Ravi Varma, and many other notable artists from India and around the world.

Founded in 1814, the Indian Museum was born from The Asiatic Society of Bengal. It was the first organised museum in India and one of the largest museums in Asia, with over 35 galleries dedicated to art, geology, and archaeological specimens. As you walk through the museum's corridors, you will find its walls lined with statues and sculptures. The archaeological section preserving ancient animal, and human specimens is one of its key attractions. There are galleries dedicated to natural history with revamped skeletal models of dinosaurs and other extinct species. The museum also preserves remnants of ancient India, including rare manuscripts, rock art, remnants of the Amaravati stupa, a Buddhist stupa, Buddha's relics and other rare artefacts. You should plan your visit to the museum with three to four hours in hand so that you can explore all the galleries. The museum also collaborates with private galleries like DAG for special exhibitions and conducts various programs on history, art and culture on its premises.

Victoria Memorial Hall built by the British in memory of Queen Victoria has now become synonymous with the Kolkata skyline and is both a cultural site and a public space for the city. While the monument's sprawling marble architecture and manicured gardens attract tourists and locals in the hundreds, the museum within the impressive facade is a well-curated collection that throws light on the British empire in India as well as Bengal's glorious art history with over 5,000 paintings by the stalwarts of the Bengal School of Art including Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, and Jamini Roy. The Queen's Gallery houses large portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert along with works by Frank Salisbury which document society of the period and different phases of the queen's life. Don't miss the world's largest collection of fine watercolours and engravings by Thomas and William Daniell in the Durbar Hall. The Biplobi Bharat Gallery is a newer section of the museum on the first floor which chronicles India's freedom struggle from the 18th century to Independence. The museum is also a space for several exhibitions, talks and cultural programmes and it's worth following their schedule on their website and timing your visit accordingly.

Driving around central Kolkata, you will find it hard to miss the grand facade of the General Post Office. But what you might overlook is the museum nestled in a corner. If you ask around, many would even turn you away saying there is no such museum. Turn to the right side of the building and you will find a red structure housing the GPO museum on its ground floor. It documents the history of postal services and the contributions of runners, who delivered letters and money orders from one place to another. The museum also displays various sizes of khukris or knives that the runners carried for self-defence against dacoits. A clay model shows how runners would even have to face tigers and often lose their lives on their jobs. The museum also has a wide collection of stamps and letters. Do not miss the original signature of Rabindranath Tagore on his Shantiniketan passbook which is one of the artefacts on display. You will also find signatures of CV Raman and oil portraits of many other eminent persons who had once worked for the postal services. The museum-in-charge is usually present on site and will eagerly show you around and guide you through the exhibits.

Last on the list of best museums in Kolkata, the Nehru Children's Museum has a collection of over a thousand dolls displayed across four floors of the building. Inaugurated in 1972, the museum is a treasure trove of dolls and a great place to visit with kids. Upon entering you might find the staff rushing to switch the fans on and hospitably guiding you through their galleries. There are dolls from different states of India dressed in traditional attire and are meant to be an education into the diversity of the land. Additionally, dolls from 88 countries in their national dresses are meant to be a window into the world. The main attraction here is the depiction of the Indian epics -- Ramayana and Mahabharata -- through puppets and miniature models. The museum also has a gallery dedicated to Ganesha idols from around the world with over 300 statues on display.

Founded on 29 January 1938, the centenary birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the RKM Institute is a cultural hub that pays homage to Bengal's folk art traditions, textile practices, patachitra, old litho paintings, terracotta artefacts, ivory paintings, and preserves several precious manuscripts, sculptures, and coins. The museum is small but has a unique collection, featuring works by both contemporary as well as past artists like Nandalal Bose, Jogen Choudhury, Sanatan Dinda, S. Nandagopal, Wasim Kapoor, Paresh Maity, many of which have been donated by the artists themselves. Don't miss an elaborate kantha tapestry depicting the life of Swami Vivekananda.

The experimental museum housed inside a heritage building preserves the rich legacy of theatre, music, art, and cinema of Bengal. At the entrance, an elaborate alpona artwork welcomes you. A hand-pulled rickshaw stands at a corner where visitors leave handwritten notes. Then you walk up the stairs with hand-drawn posters of old Kolkata on the walls. The gallery exhibits trace the different parts of the city: ports and docks, old photos of College Street with rare books on display, Durga idols in the making features, plus dedicated corners for old Bengali films, theatres, and musical instruments. While the museum makes a commendable effort in its attempt to preserve the city's past, many of its displays lack proper description.

Across two floors, exhibits trace the evolution of money from the barter system to note currency to digital currency. On the first floor, you'll see earlier forms of currency including grains, cowrie, matches and salt. On a weighing scale, you may measure your weight in gold. Detailed illustrations explain the early days of banking and the evolution of money through the centuries. Learn about inflation by pedalling a cycle and figuring out the value of a torn note by pressing a green button. The museum is full of interesting machines and displays explaining complex economic theories. It is well-maintained and worth spending a few hours exploring.

Designed in collaboration with artists and musicians, the museum preserves rare and extinct musical instruments from different regions and tribal communities of India by showcasing classical musical instruments across four sections: string, wind, percussion, and solid instruments. Each exhibit has a detailed description of the instrument's origin, the process of making and the method of playing it. They also feature an image of the artist playing the instruments. It is possibly one of the largest and most detailed exhibits on classical musical instruments in India.

The Aircraft Museum in New Town is India's second aviation museum. The open-air museum occupies a vast premise with clear paths among lush green lawns and showcases models of various aircraft designs with detailed illustrations and descriptions explaining each part. There is also a children's section which allows kids to get inside aircrafts and enjoy fun rides. The staff is friendly and will guide you through the exhibits.

Modelled after Madame Tussauds, Mother's Wax Museum in New Town is the first wax museum in India. Situated on the fifth and sixth floors of New Town's Financial Centre, the galleries display life-sized wax figurines of eminent personalities from India's freedom struggle, music, sports, Bollywood, Hollywood and so on. A statue of Gandhi stands at the entrance. As you walk through, you will find a section of Indian music with Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar singing a duet while Manna Dey plays the harmonium. Virat Kohli wields his bat while global sports stars like Messi and Maradona can be seen in action. The museum also has a haunted house which is definitely not meant for the faint-hearted.