The capital city of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Port Blair is the first stop for everyone visiting this archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. Port Blair gets lion’s share of tourists thanks to its historical importance. If you are heading to this union territory, chances are you will first visit Port Blair. Today, Cellular Jail in Port Blair is a major tourist attraction, which was a British Penal Colony in pre-Independence era. It serves as a tribute to freedom fighters who were kept imprisoned here.
After visiting this attraction, you can head to several interesting museums to learn about local tradition, culture and history. The Anthropological Museum is one of these places and it focuses mainly on its indigenous tribes.
About the Museum
Established in 1975, the Zonal Anthropological Museum is one of the best museums to visit in Port Blair. This museum is well maintained to introduce you to every detail of the history of local tribes in this island. These tribes are also known to be one of the world’s oldest tribes. There are six main tribes that live in the islands – Sentinelese, Onges, Andamanese, Jarawas, Nicobarese, and Shompens. They don’t connect to the world and there is very limited information about them on the internet. You cannot enter the tribal zones without special permission. Hence, the museum is the way to know and learn about Andaman’s tribal life.
Timings – 9AM to 1PM and 1.30 PM to 4.30 PM. The museum remains closed on Mondays.
Duration and Things to Do
Basically you can spend 1 or 2 hours in the museum to have a complete tour. Here are few more things you can enjoy here –
- Learn about Paleolithic Islanders and their lives.
- Watch several exhibits, including Jarawa chest guard and shamanic sculptures.
- Other amazing items placed on display are arts and crafts, handicrafts, photographs, tools, clothing, and weapons dating back to ancient era.
- Learn about the lifestyle of tribes by looking at models made of clay and hay. You can learn about the utensils and equipment they have used, houses they had and ornaments they wore.
- Watch short films and documentaries on the social customs, lives of tribes, and culture of Andaman.
- Explore the souvenir shops across the museum and look for interesting and innovative books, journals, and other items here.
Other Museums You Can Visit
If you are a museum-goer and a history buff, you should definitely check out some of these amazing museums and add them to your itinerary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands package.
Forest Museum
It is another popular tourist attraction on the outskirts of the city. You can explore a huge range and collection of trees in the museum. The museum has artifacts made of oak, timber, and several types of wood. The museum also reflects flora across the islands. You can also find zoological gardens and zoos. Take your time and visit this beautiful museum. Timings are from 10 AM to 2 PM only.
Samudrika Naval Marine Museum
As the name suggests, Samudrika Naval Marine Museum is run and operated by Indian Navy in Port Blair. It is aimed to spread awareness of marine life and environment as well as aquatic ecosystems. You can explore a huge number of corals, vivid fishes and other species found on the islands. The museum describes the history of Andaman Islands in five different sections. It consists of archeology, geographical details, marine life and locals. When it comes to timings, the museum opens from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Getting There
Tourists can easily reach Anthropological Museum by riding a local bus or auto from any point in Port Blair to MG Road. Port Blair is well connected to Chennai and Kolkata through direct flights. You can also get there by water as passenger ships sail from Kolkata, Chennai and Visakhapatnam.
Anthropological Museum – FAQs
What is Anthropological Museum?
The Anthropological Museum describes the works done in the museums by anthropologists. They work full time or part time and are employed in various settings.
What are the timings of Anthropological Museum?
Anthropological Museum opens every day except Mondays and the timings are from 9 AM to 4.30 PM. You can learn some interesting facts about Andaman and its tribes.
What can you expect in an Anthropological Museum?
You can visit the Anthropological Museum to see a lot of tools, artefacts, handicrafts, photographs, weapons, crafts and clothing which were used in ancient times.
How to reach the museum?
Getting to Anthropological Museum is very easy in Port Blair. The museum is strategically located on MG Road. Local bus and auto are always available to get there.
Why should you get there?
Once you visit Anthropological Museum, you will directly get back to the previous era and dig deep in the past. You can learn a lot about the local tribes and get an insight to their lifestyle.
Where else can you visit in Port Blair?
After visiting the Anthropological Museum, you can also head to Samudrika Naval Museum and Forest Museum as they are well known and attract plenty of tourists all the year round.
What about the entry fee to visit the Anthropological Museum?
The entry fee to Anthropological Museum is very minimal. It is just Rs. 10 for adults and Rs. 3 for students with ID card.
How much time do you need to visit the Anthropological Museum?
You can easily explore the whole museum within one hour or two. Don’t miss the section where you can explore the life of Paleolithic Islanders.
Bottom Line
Anthropological Museum is one of the interesting museums to visit in Port Blair along with Forest Museum and Samudrika Naval Marine Museum. You should definitely add these museums to your itinerary. Book your Andaman and Nicobar Islands package to cover these attractions.