Museums in Goa

Museums in Goa

The rich heritage and history of Goa is best displayed through its plethora of museums and galleries. One can learn a great deal of things about the invasions and occupations in the state. The museums in Goa offer a wide range of art & artefacts, archaeological objects, as well as modern artefacts to offer a detailed view of the rich history of the state.

One can find naval museums to art museums to wax museums to observatory along with archaeological museums and heritage villages in Goa for the history lovers to visit. Amongst the most popular museums in Goa are Museum of Goa, Houses of Goa Museum, Goa Science Center, Museum of Christian Art, and Wax Museum.

Popular Art Galleries and Museums in Goa

• Archie's Art Gallery : A special art centre in South Goa, Archie’s Art Gallery displays sculptures of wood and stone, along with beautiful paintings.
• Gitanjali Gallery : The gallery in Goa exhibits a large collection of Scandinavian art from the 50's to the 90's that include lithographs, serigraphs, linocuts, woodcuts and etchings.
• Kristu Kala Mandir Art Gallery : Situated close to the Church of St Francis Assisi and Se Cathedral, Kristu Kala Mandir Art Gallery houses some Christian art and artifacts.
• Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts : Located in Altinho hills of Panjim, the centre houses several exhibition galleries, a multi-functional space for workshops & lectures, studios, residency rooms for visiting scholars, artists and faculty, an open-air amphitheatre, and art library.
• The Cube Gallery : Located in the sleepy village of Moira, the gallery serves as an exhibition hall, workshop, soundboard, and a place for a growing community of artists.
• Museum of Goa : One of the most popular museums in Goa, the centre is where paintings, sculptures, photography, music, theatre, design, video art, films, installations and other forms of art are discussed and encouraged.
• The Archaeological Museum : Set up in 1964, the museum inside the Church of St Francis of Assisi has 8 galleries that display portrait paintings of governors and viceroys; wooden sculptures; pillars, capitals; postal stamps belonging to the Portuguese era in Goa.
• Goa State Museum : The State Museum in Goa exhibits a variety of items like copper plate inscription of Kadamba Kings; wooden statues of Christian saints; stone and bronze sculptures; terracotta objects of Indus valley civilization; furniture used by the Portuguese governor and several other artefacts.
• Goa Chitra Museum : The Goa Chitra Museum has a unique collection of 4000 objects of traditional farming implements and ancient tools of trade.

Other Museums in Goa

• Museum of Christian Art : Located in the Convent of Santa Monica in Old Goa, it is the first museum in Asia that displayed Christia Art. The displays items that highlight the treasures of Indo-Portuguese Christian Art.
• Houses of Goa Museum : A unique museum in a traffic island in Torda, Salvador-do-Mundo Bardez. Goa, it showcases the houses that were the prime expression of the Goan identity.
• Naval Aviation Museum : It is the only naval aviation museum in Asia and one of the seven in the world. It exhibits real aircrafts of naval aviation in India. The Lockheed super constellation, which is among the three surviving in the world and the first naval aircraft to be acquired by India stands next to the museum.
• Pilar Museum : The Pilar Museum has artifacts, found around Pilar belonging to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Christians and Muslims. The museum also displays a seal of the Kadambas, sculptures of Jayakeshi I, and various paintings of Portuguese times.
• Public Observatory : On the terrace of the Junta building, the Public Observatory in Goa offers the chance to see the night sky. The local branch of the Association of Friends of Astronomy keeps this place open for two hours every night in November to May.
• San Thome Museum : A one-of-its-kind museum in Goa, San Thome is a museum of antiques and technical revolution. The museum displays many items that touch every aspect of technical revolution.
• Vintage Car Museum : Ashvek Vintage World is a Vintage Car Museum in Nuvem, Salcete, Goa. It is also Goa's first and only vintage car museum showcasing a number of vintage cars brought from Kholapur, Belgam and Sawantwadi.
• Wax World Museum : India's second wax museum, the Wax World Museum has more than 30 life-size statues of personalities of Indian culture, heritage and religion.
• Ancestral Goa Museum / Big Foot : Located in Loutolim, this is an open-air museum that recreates the Goan rural life. It exhibits work done by local children and artists of state and national fame.
• Indian Customs & Central Excise Museum : It is the first museum of its kind that depicts the rich history of the Indian Customs and Central Excise department. The museum exhibits a variety of seized goods, antiques, and customs heritage.
• Three Kings Heritage Museum : Three Kings Hills is a village of Cuelim, Cansaulim in South Goa. It offers an opportunity to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of Goa.