The eastern Indian state of Odisha is a culturally diverse state with a rich heritage. Some also call it “The Soul of India”. With the passage of time, the state lost some of the wonders that defined its beauty and heritage. However, the beauty and culture of the state can be revisited from its museums. Your visit to Odisha is incomplete without a tour to some the best museums in the state that are not only tourism attractions but actual centers of learning about anthropology, culture, geography, arts, crafts, and everything in between. Odisha is home to a number of museums, both famous and well, some only popular amongst the local. Amongst the most important museum in Odisha is the State Museum which is located in the capital city of Bhubaneshwar. Founded in 1932, the museum is segregated into various sections including Anthropology, Archaeology, Armoury, Art and Craft, Contemporary Art, Epigraphy, Mining and Geology, Natural History, Numismatics, Palmleaf Manuscripts, and Patta Painting and also has art galleries that depict the state’s rich artistic and cultural heritage with influences from Brahminical, Buddhism and Jainism. The city of Bhubaneshwar is also home to few more museums which take us on a journey back in time - Regional Museum of Natural History, Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts, and Handicrafts Museum are three more attractions in the city. The Regional Museum of Natural History offers a rich and varied collection of flora, fauna an d geology of the state, the North East India, as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, whereas at Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts, visitors can witness the arts and artifacts of the tribal region of the state.
Travellers who are passionate about artworks and handicrafts would love to visit the Handicrafts Museum in Bhubaneswar which boasts of a wide range of handicrafts from various parts of the state. From Sambalpuri saree to Pipili chandua to Raghurajpur’s pattachitra, you will get to see all the handmade delights under one roof. Cities and towns in Odisha like Cuttack, Konark, Koraput, and Khiching also house some must-see museums. The Odisha Maritime Museum in Cuttack take one back in time when Odisha was a trading hub and the entrepreneurial spirit of our merchants (sadhaba puas) was celebrated across the world. The museum details the sojourns and odysseys of the sadhaba puas from Mahanadi to far flung places such as Sumatra and Java. On the other hand, the Archaeological Museum in Konark, which sits near the world-famous Sun Temple showcases the archaeological wonder of the state. The museum was founded in 1968 and now has four galleries where about 260 antiquities are showcased. In Koraput, a Tribal Museum awaits the travellers interested in the insights of the rich and diverse Odisha state. The museum was founded to safeguard the heritage, arts and culture of tribal people in Koraput and adjacent areas. The ancient village of Khiching is also famed for its museum as the first museum in the state that was founded by Maharaja Purna Chandra Bhanjdeo in 1922. The museum is situated inside the premises of Goddess Kichakeswari temple and offers an insight on the life in ancient Odisha. Indeed, Odisha’s museum are the reflection of its rich history and culture, and thus, missing out on visiting one of these museums is not a good idea while on a sightseeing tour.
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