There are dozens of indigenous dwellings reconstructed across the 40-hectare outdoor area of the Museum of Man.

Museum of Man

With a large indoor centre and vast outdoor area, the Museum of Man shows the story of human development with recreations of various habitats.

One of the houses in the Himalayan Village area of the museum, showing how people live in the mountains of northern India. – © Michael Turtle

The dwellings on display were either transported from their original location or rebuilt using traditional tools and materials. – © Michael Turtle

One of the exhibitions in the main building of the Museum of Man, which is spread out over several levels. – © Michael Turtle

One of the houses in the Himalayan Village area of the museum, showing how people live in the mountains of northern India. – © Michael Turtle

The Museum of Man is one of India’s best museums, offering an insight into the rich indigenous cultures of the country. It has a central museum building with dozens of exhibitions spread out over three levels. But the highlight is the 40-hectare outdoor area showing the houses and other dwellings of different communities.

Some of the dwellings were transported from their original locations, with others were constructed by artisans using traditional tools and materials brought from the home states of the communities. Inside the homes are displays of original items like tools, cooking utensils, and musical instruments.

The Kunemechi ‘Rich Man House’ from the Chakhesang Naga tribe is embellished with a house horn, animal skulls, and carved wooden pillars. – © Michael Turtle

There are different regional sections in the open-air museum, including a Tribal Habitat, Desert Village, Himalayan Village, and Coastal Village. This range shows the variety in architectural styles across India to reflect environmental conditions and cultural heritage. Some of the houses also have decorated interiors with intricate murals or carved beams.

The Rathvas are an agriculturist tribe well known for the brightly-coloured ritual paintings against the white walls of their houses. – © Michael Turtle

The main museum building also has large recreations of habitats and features special exhibitions of artefacts from different stages of human history. It shows the artistic and religious evolution of indigenous communities in India and also features sections about everyday life.

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