Collections
Explore our diverse collections from India and the World
The collections of the Salar Jung Museum
The collections of the Salar Jung Museum reflects human history from the 2nd century BCE to the 20th century. The Museum houses over 48,000 art objects, 8,000 manuscripts, and 60,000 printed books. The collection is categorised into Indian, West Asian, Persian, Nepalese, Japanese, Chinese, and European art. Additionally, ‘The Founder’s Gallery’ is dedicated to the illustrious Salar Jung family and invites visitors to explore the world of the Salar Jungs – their family origins, their role as statesmen as well as their collecting practices. The exhibits are displayed across 40 galleries.
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The Indian Art collection at the Salar Jung Museum comprises miniature and modern paintings, bronzes, textiles, ivory, jade, Bidriware, arms and armour, stone sculptures, wood carvings, metalware, and manuscripts. This section also features ancient sculptures from the Telangana and Andhra regions as well as Medieval Period paintings.
The West Asia and North Africa (erstwhile Middle Eastern section) represents art from Persia, Syria, and Egypt, covering carpets, manuscripts, ceramics, glass, metalware, furniture, and lacquerware. A range of figurative and narrative Persian carpets depicting the stories of ‘Khusrau’ is among the museum’s most prized possessions.
The European collection features resplendent oil paintings, exquisite glassware, majestic furniture, and splendid examples of ivory, enamelware, and clocks. The museum’s most treasured masterpiece is ‘The Veiled Rebecca’, a marble sculpture by G. B. Benzoni, acquired by Salar Jung I during his visit to Italy in 1876.
The Salar Jung Museum is among the few Indian museums to boast an extensive collection of Chinese and Japanese art, including porcelain, bronze, enamel, lacquerware, embroidery, paintings, wood and inlay work.
The objects on display in the Children’s section testify to the vast range of Salar Jung III’s interests. This section provides informal education and enjoyment for children. A major attraction is an early 20th-century train that operates for a short distance. Additionally, the gallery houses porcelain, metal, and jade objects, as well as toy armies which were all painstakingly kept safely by Salar Jung III even at a tender age.
The collection includes autographed manuscripts bearing the seals and signatures of emperors such as Akbar, Aurangzeb, and Jahanara Begum (daughter of Shah Jahan). The Library collection demonstrates that Salar Jung III and his ancestors were great patrons of literature.
JATAN
The Museum’s Digitalization Cell
The Salar Jung Museum’s Digitisation Cell is responsible for the digital documentation, cataloguing, and archiving of the Museum’s vast collection, whilst supporting similar initiatives at other Indian museums.
The JATAN Virtual Museum Builder is a digital collection management system developed by C-DAC, Pune, for the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and the Salar Jung Museum is a partner. It is used to digitize and manage museum collections and is integrated with the National Portal and Digital Repository for Museums of India. This system enables systematic upkeep and preservation of cultural Artefacts, makes research and documentation more efficient, and enhances accessibility and visibility of India’s heritage to scholars and the public across the world. Through JATAN, museums can create detailed digital records, upload multimedia content, and share their collections on a common online platform, thereby bringing India’s rich cultural legacy into the global digital space.
Explore our diverse collections
Explore a remarkable collection of historical artefacts, rare collectibles, decorative masterpieces, manuscripts, coins, textiles, and cultural treasures that reflect the artistic excellence and rich heritage of different regions and eras.
