In This Post:
National Museum’s Galleries
Facilities in National Museum, Karachi
Location of National Museum of Pakistan
National Museum of Pakistan, Ticket Prices
National Museum of Pakistan, Timings
Eateries Near National Museum in Karachi
Counted among the top museums in Karachi, the National Museum of Pakistan showcases the cultural heritage of our beloved homeland in amazing ways. It is home to some really antique relics and objects of arts, displayed in different types of genre-specific galleries. Based in a multistory building, it is also one of the largest museums in Pakistan.
So, if you’re a history buff who is planning to visit this amazing place any time soon, then you have landed on the right post. In this blog, we are going to give you a comprehensive guide to visiting the National Museum of Pakistan in Karachi, detailing the museum’s location and its noteworthy features and facilities.
Let’s get the ball rolling!
More About National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi
Established in 1951, the National Museum of Pakistan was originally located in Frere Hall, a very famous historical landmark in Karachi. It was built as a replacement to the defunct Victoria Museum. At that time, the National Museum in Karachi had only four galleries. It was shifted to its current building in 1969, which was specifically built to host this museum. The museum’s building is found within Burnes Garden, one of the oldest parks in the area.
As discussed, the museum is a multistory building that now features many differently-themed galleries, exhibiting vast collections of antiques. Belonging to different eras, the presence of all these historical objects is an amazing reflection of the region’s glorious past. The origin of some of these antiques even dates back to the Stone Age, which is quite intriguing.
So, if you want to know more about the galleries found in the one of the largest museums in Pakistan, take a look at the next section of our blog.
Galleries of National Museum of Pakistan
The historical relics in the National Museum in Karachi have been majorly categorised and displayed in the following galleries:
- Prehistoric (2 Million – 2500 BC)
- Protohistoric (2500 – 1500 BC)
- Late Harappa (2200 – 800 BC)
- Gandhara Gallery (2nd – 6th Century AD)
- Hindu Gallery (6th – 16th Century AD)
- Freedom Movement Gallery (18th – 19th Century AD)
- Ethnology Gallery
- Coins Gallery
- Quran Gallery
- Islamic Art And Crafts Gallery
Quick Fact: Protohistory is widely known as the transitional period between the prehistoric and historic times. The protohistoric period comes right before the time when humans became civilised enough to start keeping written records. It all shaped up the history as we know it today.
Facilities in National Museum, Karachi
Since the museum in Karachi is located within Burnes Garden, it greatly adds to the recreational factor of the place. Visitors can also spend their time in the garden, relaxing in the museum’s outdoor area. You may also spot a few historical monuments in this garden when you’re visiting the National Museum in Karachi.
One of the key highlights of this museum in Karachi is that its Coin Gallery has a whopping collection of 58,000 coins, some of which dates back to thousands of years. Moreover, the Quran Gallery of the museum has over 300 copies of the Holy Quran, some of which are extremely rare manuscripts.
Also, the museum’s Gandhara and Late Harappa Galleries give you a chance to take an up close look at the cultural heritage of the Indus Valley Civilisation, dating back to thousands of years. Most of the antiques showcased in these galleries have been fetched from the archeological sites of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.
With written historical records and detailed pictorial galleries, it’s one of the amazing places to visit in Karachi with kids. There is also a dedicated parking area for the visitors to the museum. The best feature of this museum in Karachi is its location. So, further in this blog, we’ll talk about the location, ticket prices and timings of this family attraction in Karachi.
Location of National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi
The location of the National Museum in Karachi conveniently puts it within the heart of the city. Falling in the jurisdiction of Saddar Town, it is one of the most conveniently accessible family attractions in Karachi. The National Museum of Pakistan is located on Strachan Road, right next to People’s Square, Karachi, a newly opened recreation spot in the metropolis.
The surrounding area of the National Museum in Karachi is a hub of prominent landmarks including the Arts Council, SM Law College, DJ Science College. Other than recreation facilities and educational institutions, many of the key government buildings in Karachi are also found in this part of the old city area. II Chundrigar Road, which is the city’s biggest business district, is also just a few minutes drive away from this museum.
Since it is one of the most conveniently located museums in Karachi, it is connected with the city’s many major arteries. So, if you are travelling from areas like Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, and PECHS, the fastest route to get to the National Museum is via New M.A Jinnah Road. On the other hand, people who are heading from DHA and Clifton can take the route of Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road through Chaudhry Khaliq-uz-Zaman Road to reach this family attraction in Karachi.
National Museum of Pakistan Ticket Price
It is one of the most affordable places to visit in Karachi with family. The ticket price of the National Museum of Pakistan is PKR 20.
National Museum of Pakistan Timings
The opening timings of the National Museum of Pakistan are from 9 am to 5 pm, seven days a week.
Note: It is one of the government-owned tourist attractions in Karachi and is managed by the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC). It is also listed on the STDC’s official website.
Eateries Near National Museum, Karachi
Upon your visit to the National Museum, you’ll be in the old city area of Karachi. The place is famous for the availability of a variety of culinary delights. Karachi’s many popular restaurants are found here. Al Naz Biryani Centre, Waheed Kabab House, Food Centre, Mazedaar Haleem, Fresco, and Delhi Rabri are a few fine examples in this regard. On a side note, if you want to learn more about the best street foods in Karachi and where to find them, read this blog.
Well, that’s a wrap of our comprehensive guide to visiting the National Museum of Pakistan. We hope it has provided you with all the necessary information that will help you with your visit to this famous museum in Karachi. If you have already been to this place and have some useful information to share with us regarding your experience, feel free to write to us at blog@zameen.com.
On a side note, we have also written detailed blog posts on other popular museums in Karachi. For your reference, we have listed them below. Take a look!
- Exploring the Iconic Mohatta Palace in Karachi
- Visiting the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum
- Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Museum Karachi
- Visiting Pakistan Maritime Museum in Karsaz, Karachi
- Newly Opened Sindh Wildlife Museum in Karachi
To read more informative pieces on family attractions in Karachi and other major cities of Pakistan, keep reading Zameen Blogs. To stay updated with all our latest blog posts, subscribe to our email newsletter and like our Facebook page.
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