Salar Jung Musuem (Hyderabad) Timings, Clock, Images

Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad Overview

The Salar Jung Museum, situated on the banks of the Musi River in Hyderabad, is a magnificent repository of art, history, and culture. Spread over 10 acres with two expansive floors, it is one of India's three national museums and the largest collection amassed by a single individual. The museum owes its existence to the passion of Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, also known as Salar Jung III, whose lifelong dedication to collecting rare and valuable artefacts is evident in the over one million pieces on display.

These include paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, carvings, textiles, and more, some of which date as far back as the 1st century CE. Notable treasures include Aurangzeb's sword, daggers of Mughal emperors Shah Jahan and Jahangir, Tipu Sultan's wardrobe, and the iconic sculptures like the Veiled Rebecca and the Double Statue of Mephistopheles and Margaretta.

One of the museum's most beloved attractions is the 19th-century musical clock, an intricate masterpiece with over 350 working parts that captivates visitors daily with its hourly chiming. The museum also features an impressive library housing over 60,000 books and 8,000 rare manuscripts, making it a treasure trove for scholars and enthusiasts alike. Each gallery in the museum reflects a unique cultural heritage, with artefacts sourced from across India, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, showcasing the rich diversity of global artistic traditions.

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 the 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 is now a member of various historical and museological organizations such as ICOM-INC and Museum Association of India. It organizes regular exhibitions on different themes and also maintains a 'Mobile Exhibition Van' for outdoor exhibitions.

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.

Structure and Galleries in 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.

Salar Jung Museum Clock and Veiled Rebecca

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 that is also a part of the marble masterpiece. 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.

Tips For Visiting Salar Jung Museum

1. Photography is not allowed within the museum premises. 2. Avoid using cell phones in the galleries.

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.