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Regional Museum of Natural History, Mysore
The Regional Museum of Natural History in Mysore is a free science museum on the bank of Karanji Lake, open 10:00 to 18:00 from Tuesday to Sunday. It covers the plants, animals and geology of southern India, with discovery rooms where children may handle specimens and a garden designed for visually impaired visitors.
The southern branch of the National Museum of Natural History has stood on the bank of Karanji Lake since 1995, and it is free, which makes it an easy hour when the heat gets heavy. The galleries walk through the biodiversity of southern India, the geology under it and 'Life Through the Ages', with discovery rooms where children are meant to handle things rather than read labels. Outside there is a garden built for visitors who cannot see it: Braille signage and tactile exhibits, still rare in Indian museums. Open Tuesday to Sunday, about 10 to 6; the lake gate is next door.
A free science museum on the lake bund, with rooms where children may touch the exhibits
Timings and entry fee
The museum is open 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Mondays. Entry is free. An unhurried hour covers the galleries and the garden.
It makes an easy pairing with Karanji Lake, whose gate is next door, and the zoo nearby. Coming in the middle of a hot day works well: the galleries are indoors.
What the museum is
The Regional Museum of Natural History is the southern regional branch of the National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi, set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It opened on 20 May 1995 on the bank of Karanji Lake, on a 5.25-acre site with Chamundi Hill in the background. Its subject is the plants, animals and geology of the south.
What to see
Three indoor spaces and a garden.
Biological Diversity
The plants, animals and geology of southern India: the Western Ghats, tropical rainforest, wetlands, mangroves and marine habitats.
Life Through the Ages
A walk-through tunnel that tells the history of life on Earth from its origins.
Discovery Centre
A discovery room where children can handle and examine specimens, plus a computer room, a vivarium and a mini weather station; the museum also runs painting, modelling, animal-mask and costume activities.
Garden for visually impaired visitors
A botanical garden of local trees and Ayurvedic medicinal plants with a trail for visually impaired visitors with Braille signage and a sunken footbridge for a walk-in-water view of aquatic plants and fish. Museum staff describe it as the first museum garden for the visually impaired in India.
How to get there
The museum is on the Karanji Lake bund, near Mysore Zoo. The nearest railway station is Mysuru Junction; the nearest airports are Mysore Airport and Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. From the city centre an auto or taxi is the simplest way.
❓ FAQ
What are the Regional Museum of Natural History timings?
10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays.
Is there an entry fee?
No, entry is free.
Is the museum good for children?
Yes. The Discovery Centre is built for children to handle specimens, with craft activities, and the tunnel gallery is a walk-through.
What are the top museums in Mysore?
Other museums in the city include the art gallery in Jaganmohan Palace, the Rail Museum and the Folklore Museum at Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion.