Museum in Andaman Islands

The museums of Andaman and Nicobar Islands portray those parts belonging to Indian history which has not yet been explored. The museums here along with its presentation of the particulars on the freedom fighters of India also exposes the primitive local tribes of the place whose progeny can still be marked out in the deeper jungles here. Some of the museums of this island group also contain different species of marine life available here. There are several other museums which exhibit the details of local tribes, vegetation, forests, fauna, etc. The museums over here are of great importance both nationally and internationally.

The museums of Andaman and Nicobar Islands exhibit in a very beautiful manner each and every item belonging to the past in order to make the viewer understand it in details. While on a trip to this island group of India one is not expected to miss visiting some of the islands like Smritika Museum at Ross Island, Cellular Jail or the National Memorial, Anthropological Museum and Fisheries Museum. These museums provide a concise image of the happenings of the past with regard to the island groups. The museums of this island group are open throughout the year, apart from some of the days every week, which differs from museum to museum. Both adult and children find pleasure in visiting these museums.

The Fisheries Museum and the Marine Museum are the two significant museums of Andaman & Nicobar Islands which are frequently visited by tourists. These museums possess a range of rare species of animals and plants. The Anthropological Museum is one of the major attractions of this island group where one will be able to get an insight into the aborigines of the land and their weaponry and lifestyle. The other place of interest is the Aberdeen Bazaar in Port Blair. This bazaar is one of the suitable places for tourists to get some wooden or shell artwork which can be kept as gifts or souvenirs.

One of the major museums in the island group is the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Fisheries Museum which is situated nearer to the Andaman Water Sports Complex. This is an ideal tourist destination for those having interest in marine life. There are about 350 diverse species of marine life preserved in this museum. The museum remains closed on Sundays and other national holidays. The entry fee to this museum is Rs.2/- per individual and Rs.1/- per child. There are no restrictions to capture the beautiful and rare marine creatures on a camera. The various types of marine life exhibited in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Fisheries Museum are actually collected from different parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean and Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The variety of marine creatures preserved in this museum is limited to the Andaman Islands. Some of them range from sharks, starfish, live corals and polyps which are there to be seen in the museum.

In order to pay a visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Fisheries Museum, it is required to take a trip to the Andaman Islands, which is within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an Indian Union territory. It lies very close to the Andaman Water Sports Complex. Andaman Islands can be visited by taking the sea route as well as the road ways. It is however preferred to choose a sea voyage since the trip will unfold the mysterious beauty of the journey by sea. Passenger ships can be availed from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam on a regular basis to Port Blair. Flights from Chennai Kolkata to Port Blair are also available regularly.

Another significant museum of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is the Samudrika (Naval Marine Museum).This museum is situated in the opposite direction of the Andaman Teal House, Delanipur. The Samudrika, situated in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is one of the popular museums of Andaman and Nicobar Islands which exhibits various significant items that help in getting deep into the history and geography of the Andaman Islands. The various items exhibited in the Samudrika in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are classified into five divisions with regard to their significance. The five divisions of the museum are the geography of the Andaman Islands, the marine life of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the history of these islands, the people of the island group and the people of these islands. One of the attractions of the Samudrika of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a huge relief map of these islands.

This museum of the island group is well-known for its wonderful collection of corals, shells and other significant specimens of marine life belonging to these islands. Apart from corals and shells, visitors can take delight in watching a very large collection of different coloured fishes. The Samudrika in Andaman and Nicobar islands is under the supervision of the Indian navy and it is for this reason that the museum is referred as the Naval Marine Museum. This museum was founded with an aim of developing a common interest in the marine environment of the place. It is anticipated that the awareness will help in the conservation of aquatic life, especially the corals, on a large scale. The time to visit this museum is from 8.30 A.M. to 12 P.M. and from 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. It remains closed on Mondays and other national holidays. The entry fee to this museum is Rs.10/- per individual.

Some of the other major museums of Andaman & Nicobar Islands are Forest Museum, Zoological Survey of India Museum, Anthropological Museum, Fisheries Museum, Samudrika (Naval Marine Museum), National Memorial, etc.

The museums of Andaman and Nicobar islands are thus the large storehouses of a large variety of marine life along with several items of the ancient period of the island group. A glance into the ancient tribal population of the Andaman and Nicobar islands is possible by just a visit to the museums of this island group of the Indian union. While at Andaman and Nicobar islands, one should not miss the opportunity to bay a visit to some of the prominent museums of this place.