- Timings
- 10 am to 5 pm
- Closed
- Mondays and national holidays
- Location
- Saint Louis Street, White Town
- Ideal time needed
- About 1 to 1.5 hours
- Nearest airport
- Chennai, about 150 km
What to see
The collection is varied, so it suits both history buffs and families. Bronze and stone sculptures from the Chola and Pallava periods sit alongside terracotta figures and burial urns. The archaeology and geology rooms focus on Arikamedu, the ancient port just south of the town that traded with Rome, and include pottery and other Roman finds.
- Chola and Pallava bronze and stone sculpture
- Arikamedu archaeological finds and Roman artefacts
- French colonial furniture, mirrors, paintings and arms
- Tanjore paintings and a shell collection
- The pousse-pousse, a hand-pushed forerunner of the auto-rickshaw
- Fossil and geology gallery and old coins
Timings
Doors open at 10 am and close at 5 pm; the museum is shut on Mondays and national holidays. Plan around an hour to an hour and a half for a comfortable look at all the galleries.
How to reach
The museum is a short auto ride from Pondicherry railway station and within walking distance of most White Town guesthouses. Chennai airport is roughly 150 km away along the East Coast Road, and Pondicherry is well linked by road to Chennai, Villupuram and Cuddalore. From Virudhachalam it makes an easy day trip by car, which we can arrange.
Nearby
Several other sights sit within a few streets. The Jawahar Toy Museum, the Bharathidasan Museum and Ananda Ranga Pillai's house cover different sides of local history, while the Dupleix and Joan of Arc statues, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the French War Memorial and the Gandhi statue on Promenade Beach round out a walking day. Auroville is a short drive north.
Also nearby
Plan it with us
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will build the route, book the car, driver and hotels, and send you a clear quote.
