Museums in Goa

Located adjoining a convent that is more than 700 years old, Santa Monica, Museum Of Christian Art has a fine collection of Christian artefacts belonging to the 16th century when Portuguese ruled the state of Goa. The exquisite Museum was founded in 1994 with the help of Archdiocese of Goa and was financed jointly by the Portuguese Association and Indian National Trust of Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

Naval Aviation Museum in Goa was established in 1998 to exhibit the importance, functioning and the evolution of the Indian Naval Air Arm. The museum has stunning outdoor and indoor exhibits where one can find decommissioned aircraft, weapons & arms, uniforms, vintage documents and photographs.

Goa Chitra is a museum established in 2010 to exhibit the ancient Portuguese and Goan lifestyle and their traditions through a stunning collection of woodwork, metalwork, weapons, furniture, religious artefacts, etc. The museum actively conducts workshops and activities to share their knowledge about the traditions with the public. It has been titled by the Archaeological Survey of India as the topmost contemporary museum.

Goa Science Centre & Planetarium was established as a joint project of the state Department of Science, Technology & Environment and the National Council of Science Museums with the objective of making science exciting for the youth and inculcating a desire to learn the subject. The Science Centre expands over an area of 5 acres and also houses a Planetarium, a theatre for 3D shows and several scientific exhibits. Quite a few programs are also conducted to demonstrate scientific principles to the public.

Archaeological Museum in Goa has a splendid collection of artefacts belonging to prehistoric and late medieval era. The museum was once an ancient Franciscan Monastery. The Archaeological Survey of India founded the museum in 1964 but was recognised only after 1984. One can find an array of antiques including coins, statues, ivory and wood sculptures, paintings, portraits, maps, inscriptions, stonework, ceramics, etc.

San Thome Museum was established to exhibit the evolution of science and technology right from the time of Thomas Alva Edison. One can explore every aspect of technology used from the 18th century to date displayed at the museum. It is a perfect attraction for technology buffs and students.

Houses of Goa Museum in Goa has a splendid collection of houses belonging to the Colonial era in Goa. The museum in itself is a brilliant piece of architecture and dons a ship-like structure. The museum was designed and built by Gerard de Cunha and houses furniture, home d_cor items, door & window frames, railings, ceramic tiles, etc. from the bygone era when Portuguese architecture became a part of the Goan lifestyle.

For people who like collecting things or who are fascinated by old architecture, the Goa State Museum will have you hooked. Also called as the State Archaeology Museum, it is located in the capital of Goa - Panjim. The museum takes you through the history of Goa where you get to know almost all aspects of the State's arts, crafts and geology. There are more than 8000 artifacts like stone sculptures, wooden carvings, manuscripts, rare coins and bronzes, which are on display in the museum.

This outdoor cultural museum located at Bigfoot in Loutolim, Goa, features a recreated ancient Goa village.It was created by Maendra Jocelino Araujo Alvares with a notion to preserve the Art, Culture and Environment of the coastal state. Right from the time when Hindus and Muslims ruled Goa, to the time when the Portuguese colonies were formed, Ancestral Goa has it all. Ancestral Goa is just 10 kilometres away from Margao and 25 kilometres away from Panaji.

What if you happened to come across a 213 year old mansion on a river bank that has been decorated so beautifully, that you cannot help but fix your gaze at it? One such mansion is Palacio de Deao which was built by a Portuguese noble-man in Quepem, 14 kilometres of Margao. The place has an incredible fusion of Indo-Poruguese elements which is oddly satisfying and soothing. Its gardens are the ones that will have you drawn to the beauty of the place and the mansion faces the Church the man built on the banks of river Kushavati.

If you would like to visit Robert Downey Jr., Barack Obama or even Rowan Atkinson, popularly known as Mr. Bean, you probably know it is not practically possible but hey, at least you could meet their wax statues at the Benz Celebrity Wax Museum in Arpora, Goa. Located near Calangute Beach, the wax museum is a great place to find amusement and some facts as well. Apart from the museum, the place also has a 9D action theatre and a dashing cars arena as well.

Located in Ancestral Goa, a miniature Goan village which depicts the rural life of Goa as it was about a hundred years ago, the Bigfoot museum has a great collection of art and other traditional artefacts. The museum also features artwork done by local children and artists of State and National fame.

Located 12 kilometres south of Panjim on Pilar hillock, this museum demonstrated the rich tradition of communal harmony that Goa is known for. The museum houses artifacts found around Pilar, belonging to all religions. Some of the interesting artifacts like coins dating back to a few centuries, a seal of the Kadambas, Roman Amphora and various Portuguese paintings are put on display.