Salarjung Museum

Situated on the southern bank of the river Musi, the Salarjung Museum is the third largest museum in India housing the biggest one-man collections of antiques in the world. It is well known throughout India for its prized collections belonging to different civilizations dating back to the 1st century. Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949), former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, spent a substantial amount of his income over thirty five years to make this priceless collection, his life's passion. The collections left behind in his ancestral palace, 'Diwan Deodi' were formerly exhibited there as a private museum which was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951. Later in 1968, the museum shifted to its present location at Afzalgunj and is administered by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh as ex-officio chairperson under the Salar Jung Museum Act of 1961.

The Salarjung Museum is a royal treat to the connoisseurs with a collection of over 43000 art objects and 50000 books and manuscripts. The collections include Indian Art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern Art, European Art, Children Art along with a Founders gallery and a rare manuscript section. Indian Art includes stone sculptures, bronze images, jade carvings, painted textiles, wood carvings, miniature paintings, modern art, ivory carvings, textiles, metal-ware, manuscript, arms & armour etc. Middle Eastern Art contains the collection of carpets, paper (manuscripts), glass, metal-ware, furniture, lacquer etc. from Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt. Collection of Far Eastern Art exhibit porcelain, bronze, enamel, lacquerware, embroidery, painting, wood & inlay work from China, Japan, Tibet, Nepal and Thailand etc. Oil and watercolor paintings form an important part of the European Collection. 

The museum building in a semicircular shape with 38 galleries spread on two floors displays only a part of the original collections. The ground floor has 20 galleries and the first floor has 18 galleries. The exhibits on different subjects are displayed in separate galleries. 

Gallery 1 or the Founders gallery displays personal artifacts, momentos received and portraits of the Salar Jungs and the Nizams's. Royal clothes, porcelain and silver bowls, books furniture like the ceremonial throne used by Salar Jung III etc can be seen.

Gallery 3 and 3A contains collection of Indian art and articles. This section displays Indian textiles; bronze images of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu deities dating back to later Pallava and Chola periods; Stone sculptures including a Bharhut rail slab, standing Buddha statue, Ananthasayi Vishnu, red stone sculptures of Kushanas etc; brass idols belonging to the  Pallavas, Cholas and Kakatiyas dynasty and brass articles belonging to Vijanagar dynasty; Pancha Teertha Jaina statue, statues of Somaskadha, Shiva and Nataraja in Ananda Tandava posture, Narasimha, Ganesha etc.; Kalamkari paintings on cloth has various scenes of Ramayana, 'Parvati Kalyanam', Lord Krishna along with Gopis etc. 

Gallery 4 and 5 contains minor arts of South India and wood carvings. The special attraction is the armed Vishnu of 1st and 2nd centuries found in Nagarjuna hill. Other exhibits here include wooden chairs, doors, statue of gods, carved screens, chariot wheels etc. There is also a brass carving of 'Rama Pattabhishekam' from Thailand.

Gallery 6 presents a fine selection of printed and embroidered fabrics in cotton, silk and wool belonging to Indian culture. Brocades woven with silver and gold thread, silk saris of south India, Kashmiri shawls, muslin waistcloth, famous 'phulkari' embroidery work from Punjab, appliqué temple  hangings from Rajasthan, Zari coats, chicken work from Lucknow etc. are displayed here.