International Dolls Museum — Attraction in Chandigarh

overnment Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh, is a premier museum of North India having collections of Gandharan sculptures, Pahari and Rajasthani miniature paintings. It owes its existence to the partition of India in August, 1947. Prior to the partition, the collections of art objects, paintings and sculptures were housed in the Central Museum, Lahore, the then capital of Punjab. After partition, the division of collections took place on April 10, 1948. Sixty percent of objects were retained by Pakistan and forty percent collection fell in the share of India.

The museum was inaugurated on 6 May 1968 by Dr. M. S. Randhawa, the then Chief Commissionerof Chandigarh.

The Government Museum and Art Gallery was designed by the Swiss born French architect, Le Corbusier along with his associate architects namely Manmohan Nath Sharma, Pierre Jeanneretand Shiv Dutt Sharma.[2] The design was completed during the period of 1960-62 and construction took place between 1962 and 1967. It is part of the three museums designed by Le Corbusier, the other two being Sanskar Kendra, Ahmedabad and National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo.

The beginning of the collection can be traced to the partition of India in 1947 when 40% of the collection of the Central Museum, Lahore became the share of the country. A significant part of this share was the Gandhara sculptures. The collections received in April, 1949 from Pakistan were first housed in Amritsar, then Shimla, Patialaand were finally shifted to Chandigarh upon the inauguration of the museum in 1968. Over a period of time, Dr. M. S. Randhawa added Pahari miniature paintings, modern and Indian contemporary art, so that by the time the collection was displayed in the current building designed by Le Corbusier, it was at par with the leading museums of North India. The collection can be divided into the following categories: The museum has many different sculptures of Buddha. In some sculptures Buddha has long, open hair, while in some he has a mustache with curled hair lock. In earlier days the followers of Buddha used to worship symbolic representations of Buddha. These representations included representative foot print of Buddha or a Chakra. Later, when the followers wanted to portray Buddha in human form, they portrayed him in a beautiful Greek god-like form. This can be attributed to the Indo-Greek...

INTERNATIONAL DOLLS MUSEUM – CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh, the capital city of Punjab and Haryana, serves as the adobe of a number of tourist attractions, some of which are well-renowned across the country. The city is best known for its magnificent temples, parks and museums. The place witnesses the inflow of hundreds of tourists from every nook and corner of India and even abroad, every year. International Dolls Museum is one of the hotspots of Chandigarh. Established in 1985, the museum is located at Bal Bhawan, in Sector 23, Chandigarh.

Set up as an entertainment hub for kids, International Dolls Museum has turned into a major tourist attraction of the city. It encompasses an amusement park for children as well as toy trains, apart from its collection of beautiful dolls. As many as 300 different kinds of dolls collected from Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Korea and Russia, are displayed in the museum, which is simply a visual delight for kids. Ten murals of the important landmarks of different countries with coloured blowups form the backdrop for the exhibition of dolls.

International Dolls Museum brings an insight into the cultural ethnicity of India, through its separate section dedicated to dolls that depict the popular dance forms of India. Kids would also be spell-bound by the dolls that depict famous story characters, like Aladdin and his Magic Lamp, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Ali Baba and Forty Thieves and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This makes the museum a must-visit destination for kids. The huge model of German railway station, at the middle of the exhibition hall, is also a visual delight.

With a view to promote international tourism in Chandigarh, the government has upgraded International Dolls Museum over time. The museum underwent renovations in the recent past as well, which has added to its existing beauty and magnificence. The great interiors and pleasant ambiance that have resulted from the renovations have added to the value of the museum, as a chosen tourist spot of Chandigarh.

How to Reach the Chandigarh

Entry Fees: For the children, no entrance fee is needed and for the adults the entrance fee is Rs 10. Camera fee is Rs 5.

Timings: The International Dolls Museum is open from 10am-5pm on all days except Sundays and...

I recently visited the International Doll Museum in Chandigarh and I must say it is a must-visit place for both kids and adults. The museum houses a wide variety of dolls from different countries and time periods, showcasing the diverse cultures and dresses worn by people all over the world.

The ticket price for adults is affordable at 20Rs, and even better, it is free for kids. However, if you want to take photos, there is an additional charge of ₹20 only for the camera. The collection of dolls is truly impressive, with representations of different Indian tribes and cultures, as well as dolls from foreign countries.

The dolls are beautiful and adorable, but I was slightly disappointed with the maintenance of the museum. The lighting was inadequate, and many of the dolls were covered in dust. It would be great if the museum staff could clean the dolls periodically to maintain their beauty.

Despite this, the International Doll Museum is an awesome place to visit. It is quiet and extremely informative, providing insight into the cultures of various nations through these dolls. It helps to combine the multicultural human race with each other through the tales and stories related to their cultures.

For young minds and kids, this museum is very informative and educational. However, the administration needs to pay more attention and take better care of the museum. I noticed that the false ceiling has significant seepage and is falling off at various points. Additionally, half of the chairs and furniture are broken and in need of immediate repair.

Although the staff is friendly and courteous, they could be tasked with guiding visitors to make their visit more informative and detailed. I also noticed that some dolls related to certain nations, such as Australia, were either not placed properly or were missing altogether. It's important for the museum to ensure that all the dolls are properly displayed and in good condition.

Overall, my experience at the International Doll Museum was good. I enjoyed seeing the diverse collection of dolls and learning about different cultures. However, I hope that the administration takes note of the maintenance issues and addresses them promptly to ensure that the dolls remain exhibition-worthy for...