Sanskriti Museums, Delhi Overview

Located at Anandagram, within the Sankriti Kala Kendra Complex in Mehrauli area of South Delhi, Sanskriti Museums had been established in 1990 by O.P. Jain. With an objective to preserve indigenous heritage and culture by curating, promoting and documenting everyday objects of art and craft, the museums are a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. The complex has three museums- Museum of Everyday Art, Museum of Indian Terracotta and Museum of Indian Textiles, all of which are a treasure trove of stunning displays of everyday objects, handcrafted products and terracotta sculptures and figurines.

Housed in a beautiful farmhouse, the complex also has functional workshops, live art studio and the residence of the artisans. The place is perfect getaway from the chaos and din of the city and offers an experience like no place else with its enchanting displays, idyllic setting and vibrant crafts works. A huge banyan tree accentuated the beauty and a tiny refreshment stall is perfect to satiate your thirst or snack cravings. The museums are headed to work and make this place one of the largest research and resource centre on the art and craft traditions of India.

Museums at Sanskriti Complex

1. Museum of Everyday Art
Established in 1984, this section of the museum was created with an objective to preserve the rich cultural heritage of India and to showcase the ordinary objects of everyday use which display excellent craftsmanship and skill like cups, saucers, spoons etc. The gallery has been designed with products from rural and urban India, depicting the cycle of life- from birth to death.

2. Museum of Indian Terracotta
Terracotta art has been synonymous with human civilization, and also with Indian art and culture since times immemorial. From earthen pots used to drink water to Tamil idols of Ayyangar cult, terracotta art occupies a large part of our lifestyle and has been in practice over hundreds of years. This museum has over 1500 articles of terracotta art, sculptures and figurines.

3. Museum of Indian Textiles
This gallery was initially just a personal collection of the founder Shri O. P. Jain; some time later Shri Jyotindra Jain came together with him, to help him curate and collect more stuff. Over time, the growing collection led to the idea of a museum. Finally, the museum was inaugurated in January 2009 by the then Chief Minister- Sheila Dixit. It is a tiny pool to showcase the rich and varied Indian textile heritage. The museum is unlike any other in the world and does not aim to have exhaustive assemblage. Rather it focuses on the quality of the content curated so it can later be used for research and study.

How To Reach Sanskriti Museums

The nearest metro station to the Sanskriti Museums is Arjan Garh Metro, situated on the yellow line. After getting down at the metro, you can hire a rickshaw to drop you to the museum. However, if you are driving or are travelling in a taxi cab, you will have to take a U-turn between Ghitorni metro station and Arjan Garh metro station from pillar 166-167, towards Arjan Garh. The first cut on your left will lead you to Anandagram.