Museums and Art Galleries Rajasthan is replete with stories of valorous Maharajas and beautiful queens who laid down their lives protecting the dignity of their kingdom and people. The innumerable wars that are inscribed in the history of Rajasthan are a proof of these stories. These stories have made the Rajasthan immensely popular among the tourists. However, apart from the legendary anecdotes, the lavish lifestyle of the royal household and their love for art and craft also attract a huge number of tourists. The museums and the art galleries spread throughout the state display the Rajput passion for excellence in every field. They are the means by which you can unravel a great deal of the Rajasthan history and culture in a relatively short period of time. You can discover things like how the Rajas and their queens dressed up, what jewelleries and accessories they adorned and what were the thrones like on which they sat. You can see a wide range of sculptural &glass work from that era in these museums and art galleries. The museums and art galleries also provide you a comprehensive idea about the ethnic Rajasthani lifestyle as well.

Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum

The Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum is located in Jodhpur in the Umaid Bhavan Palace itself. The museum is a repository of everything that the royal people loved immensely, crystal, glass, chinaware and fancy clocks. There are also quiet a few stuffed animal and model planes on display. The museum is open everyday from 0830 to1730 hrs.

Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, Jaipur

Originally known as the Maharaja of Jaipur Museum, the Sawai Man Singh Musuem is a storehouse of a plethora of items that are reminiscent of a bygone era. There are separate section that showcase textiles, armoury, paintings and chariots & coaches. There are also two silver jars on display that are considered the biggest in the entire world.

Albert Hall Musuem, Jaipur

This museum in Jaipur is modelled on the Victoria and Albert Hall Museum of London. The collections of the museum, though not very well maintained, provide a glimpse into the lives of the Rajasthani people. There are items like metalware, decorative wares, miniature portraits, sculptures, paintings, costumes, pottery, brassware and woodwork on exhibit. Of special significance in this museum is an Egyptian mummy. The museum is open from 0930 to 1630 hrs everyday except Friday.

Fateh Prakash Palace Museum

Covering a huge area in the Chittaurgarh Fort, the Fateh Prakash Palace Museum was established in the year 1968. The museum showcases a wide variety of things, specially sculptures. Significant among these sculptures is a statue of Ganapati that dates back to 8-9th century. Indira and Jai Ambica statues from the medieval ere are also the proud possessions of this museum. Apart from sculptures, other items on display are weapons, daggers and armoury.

Crystal Gallery

This gallery is perhaps the largest collection of crystal objects in this world. Located in the Fateh Prakash Palace (part of the City Palace complex), Udaipur, the Crystal Gallery is the result of the desire of Maharaja Sajjan Singh to have for himself the crystal objects he saw in a showroom in Calcutta. He placed an order with the Birmingham based company, F & C Osler for a similar collection, however his untimely death deprived him the opportunity of seeing the collection himself. It is this collection that today forms the attractions of the gallery. The major crystal items in the gallery are a sofa set, a dining table, fountains, various coloured objects, mirrored tabletops and exquisite decanters.