History of Salar Jung Museum
Almost all collection at the museum was acquired by Nawab Mir Yusuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III, who was the former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. He spent a lot of money from his income over thirty-five years to make the priceless collections of things belonging to different civilizations. He relinquished his reputed post to collect rare and precious art objects. The collections that were left behind in his ancestral palace were formerly exhibited in a private museum inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1951. A public holiday was declared as respect on the day of his demise. It is believed that present collection is just half of the original collection of Salar Jung III. In 1968, the museum shifted to its present location at Afzalgunj. Two more buildings were added in the museum compound on the turn of the twentieth millennium.
Salar Jung Museum Collections
The collections at the museum are from varied cultures ranging from Greek to Buddhist. The collections have been divided into different sections like the Indian Art, Far-Eastern Art, Middle-East art and so on. There is also a dedicated gallery showcasing the Salar Jung family. It is one the rare museums of the country with Sino-Chinese objects. The museum also has a famous Quran collection from around the world in various fonts and designs. There is a Quran written in Gold and Silver as well. There is a dedicated children's section which enthrals kids apart from providing them with an informal education.
Rare manuscripts on palm leaves, glass, wood, parchments, and textiles are stored in various languages such as Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit, Urdu, and Turkish. There are more than a thousand calligraphic panels and miniature paintings. The subjects of these manuscripts range from medicine and poetry to magic.
Galleries in the Salar Jung Museum
The museum building has a semi-circular shape and it has 38 galleries within it. The galleries are spread on two floors and displays only a small part of the original collection. The ground floor has 20 galleries and the first floor has 18 galleries. Different subjects are exhibited in different galleries and each of these galleries is huge. They have artefacts, one of which dates back to the 4th century. Apart from the major galleries, there are libraries, reading rooms, sales counter and cafeteria.
Musical Clock and Veiled Rebecca at Salar Jung Museum
A beautiful vintage clock is installed inside the museum which draws a lot of crowd during the stroke on every hour. Acquired from the Cook and Kelvey Co. Clock, this British clock has more than three hundred parts. A bearded man in a robe comes out of an enclosure and hits the bell, the number of hits signifying the time of hour while a blacksmith constantly hits an anvil every second.
Another engaging experience is the sight of Veiled Rebecca, a sculpture created by a renowned Italian sculptor named Giovanni Maria Benzoni. The Hebrew Bible regards Rebecca as the wife of Issac. The life size sculpture is skillfully wrapped in a transparent veil. The pedestal on which the sculpture stands is carved out of a single marble. There are only four copies of the Veiled Rebecca in the entire world.
How to Reach Salar Jung Museum
The museum is walking distance from Afzalgunj and the buses run regularly from all parts of the city to Afzalgunj. The two important railway stations Nampally and Kachiguda are located within a distance of three miles from the museum. You can hire an autorickshaw or a taxi from the station.
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Tips
1. Photography is not allowed within the museum premises.
2. Avoid using cell phones in the galleries.
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