Museums in Karnataka

Housing armory, porcelain, coins, miniature paintings, manuscripts and carpets of the times of Adil Shahi sultans, the Archaeological Museum of Karnataka is under the surveillance of Archaeological Survey of India. Stone sculpture and architectural fragments along with inscriptions in Kannada, Devanagari, Arabic and Persian are mute evidences to the splendor of Chalukya, Aihole and Badami dynasties.

Another very famous museum is housed in the campus of Mysore University at Manasagangotri. In sync to its name, 'Folklore Museum', it displays 6500 folklore articles. One of its own kinds in Asia, this impressive repository of folk culture has a wide collection of carved wooden figures from rural Karnataka, rural costumes, utensils, ornaments, metal ware, implements and tools used in various rural professions, models of temples, houses, decorative masks, ceremonial headwear and a display of leather shadow puppets.

Janapada Loka is another famous museum in Karnataka treasuring the folk heritage of the state. A 15-acre complex situated 53 kms on the Bangalore-Mysore highway, houses museums, an open-air theatre, a studio and other structures. Home to 5000 artifacts of rural folk culture, the museum displays an array of agricultural hunting and fishing implements, weapons, ingenious household gadgets, masks, dolls and shadow puppets. Located at a mere distance of half a kilometer from Kuppali, Kavishila museum is located in the most scenic environs. 16 kms from Teerthahalli, it is the ancestral house of a Jnanpith laureate which has been converted into a museum. An inspiration to Kuvempu for his immortal verses, the museum now houses a library, an auditorium and a research centre.

A unique collection of sculptures from Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal can be observed at the Sculpture Gallery. Housing a rare model of the natural bridge, Sidilinapadi, 5 kms from Badami, the museum remains closed on Fridays. Fort temples of Lord Shiva are also present in this gallery which can be reached by steps at the gates of the Gallery.