National Art Gallery

Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600008, Egmore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600008 Phone: 044 2819 3238

About

National Art Gallery The building of National Arts Gallery was built in the year 1907. This magnificent red sandstone building was designed by Henry Irwin and built by T. Namberumal Chetty. The building represents a typical Indo-Saracenic structure and was initially famous as the Victoria Memorial Hall. Built with sandstone and adorned with motifs, the building bears impressions of Mughal architecture. It is this architecture, not just the gallery collections that make it worth a visit. The gallery exhibits medieval handicrafts, sculptures, metal ware and paintings belonging to various schools of art and eras. The gallery's collections are displayed in four different sections: Tanjore Painting Gallery, Decorative Art Gallery, Indian Traditional Art Gallery and Ravi Varma Painting Gallery. The Tanjore paintings on glass are wonderful. The miniature paintings from Rajput and Mughal eras are fascinating too. The handicrafts that are displayed belong to the 11th and 12th century Indian handicraft period. The top floor, closed in May 2011, offered additional galleries. Sa-Th 09:30-17:00 except national holidays. +91 44 2819-3238.