Posted by Shivam Singh
on 16th Aug, 2020
Visiting a museum is basically a journey into the bygone era from wherein the future evolved.
Around 30 Kms from Gurgaon, near Manesar in Haryana, lies this one of a kind hidden gem with the name Heritage Transport Museum.
Through it’s 12 beautifully designed and thoughtfully conceptualized Galleries, the museum showcases the evolution of transportation in India.
Right from the door handles (made of bike handles) to ticket counter (made of car body), from sofas (made of car boots) to sitting stools (made of tyre rims), the entrance itself to the museum building gives you a feel that you are in super classic zone.
Instead of following a chronological path, the museum creates visually stunning view. The galleries on different floors are all built around the central atrium, so while exploring one, you can see the content of the others. This design makes your mind peaceful, understanding where we’ve been and where we are going.
It is generally said that the museums are monotonous and boring at times, but here the story of the evolution of Indian transport is told by creating atmospheres, complementing the vehicles with historical drawings, prints depicting transport, video, sound, re-imagined street-scape and contemporary art.
This museum is brainchild of Tarun Thakral, the chief operating officer of Le Meridien hotel in Delhi.
When not making business decisions, he collects – mainly vehicles and also items like oil lamps, sewing machines, old cameras, typewriters, enamel advertising signs etc. The museum, which grew out of his personal collection, opened in December 2013. Spread over almost 100,000 sq. ft, it is India’s largest private museum.
It entered the Limca Book Of Records as the “first-of-its-kind” transport museum in India.
One day, me and my wife were thinking to visit some artistic place with my in-laws to celebrate their wedding anniversary. We had already been to most of the places in Delhi-NCR. When google pointed this place, we hesitated as it was quite far (almost 75 kms from our house). But finding no other option, we decided to give this a try.
And voila, I have been to this place twice already so far and can go again and again.
Every-time you visit this place, you will find something new as they keep on increasing their collection of automotives.
The best part of this museum is – it isn’t dedicated to a single mode of transport and covers the entire range, from the pre-mechanized world of buggy, carts and carriages, to trams, buses, vans, two-wheelers, rural jugaad transport and maritime and aviation vehicles. This makes it different from others and sets a class higher.
Gallery:
Museum is divided into following 12 galleries.
- Automobile Gallery
- Pre-mechanised Transportation
- Heavy Mechanised Transportation
- Railways
- Aviation
- Rural Transportation
- Two-Wheelers
- Collectible India Toys on Transport
- Historical Collections
- Maritime Gallery
- Contemporary Art Gallery
- Tribal Art
The Automobile Gallery has over 75 vintage and classic cars on display – parked alongside a recreated Indian street scene. A vintage petrol pump with spare parts memorabilia has also been recreated.
Films on transportation are screened in a mini auditorium on this floor.
In the Aviation Gallery, they have even an actual aircraft: a restored 1940’s Piper J3C Cub aircraft, suspended mid-air, which looks stunning.
In the Railways section, apart from two old-age locomotives parked outside main museum building, the museum showcases the grandeur of travel by rail through a historically inspired railway platform and a 1930’s restored railway saloon from BBCI (Bombay-Baroda & Central India) Railway. Also on display are models of popular locomotives and memorabilia including original posters, train tickets, lamps and railway maps.
Facts:
Established: 2013
Closed On: Monday
Visiting Hours: 10:00 AM – 07:00 PM
Entry Fee:
Aduslts: INR 400
Children (3-12 years): INR 200
Student (with valid id-card): INR 200
Audio guide is also provided (price included in ticket)to help you get into the history while visiting each section.
Photography is allowed throughout the museum. Enjoy….
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1 Comment
Pooja Kandpal · February 27, 2021 at 10:31 am
Yes, would like to visit again👍