Weather: N.A.
Timings : 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Closed on Doljatra and Kalipuja)
Time Required: 2-3 hrs
Entry Fee: General – INR 30,
Group of 25 people or more – INR 25,
School groups – INR 20,
Government School groups – INR 10
Overview of Birla Industrial & Technological Museum in Kolkata
Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), the first scientific and industrial museum in India, is one of the top sights in Kolkata and is situated on Gurusaday Road. On May 2, 1959, the museum was established and made public. Within three years of its debut, the area, which was formerly known as Birla Park, was transformed into a museum. The museum’s opulent design has contributed to its success as a popular tourist destination known for its galleries and on-site 3D shows.
Dr. B.C. Roy, who believed that a developing country like India needed museums nearby in the year 1956, had an impact on the transformation of Birla Park into BITM. In order to establish the museum, which took close to three years to complete, G.D. Birla gave the property to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Mobile Science Exhibition, the first exhibition on wheels, was also invented by BITM. This museum is now where science manifests itself using interactive and animated models thanks to its galleries, a variety of activities, and the expanding chains of satellite centres. For all of you who love science, you must visit this incredible location!
History of Birla Industrial and Technological Museum
The history of the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum dates back to the Tagores and Meera Devi’s ownership of the original structure. Rabindranath Tagore’s fourth child spent a lot of her childhood in this structure. Later, in 1919, Surendranath Tagore sold this property to G.D. Birla, who later transformed the structure into Birla Park.
Then, this house was demolished and rebuilt into what it is today by the hired architects N. Guin and Co. It was still a special address, though, and notable visitors to the park included Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Mohan Malaviya. To aid in the growth of technology and industry, West Bengal’s then-chief minister, Dr. BC Roy, had the idea to build a science museum in the nation in 1956. He received assistance with his idea from Sri GD Birla, who gave Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the property.
It took close to three hours to completely convert the area from a park to a museum, but on May 2, 1959, the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum was finally inaugurated by Professor H. Kabir, the union minister, in the presence of Dr. BC Roy, Sri BM Birla, and Professor MS Thakur. In 1919, Ballygaunge Store Road, now known as Gurusaday Dutta Road in Kolkata, was the name by which the museum was located.
Facilities at Birla Industrial and Technological Museum
The tourists who swarm the museum to take in its beauty are provided with a wide range of amenities. Inside, a sizable library with a variety of books, journals, CDs, and movies in the fields of science and technology has been set up. In addition, the museum has an auditorium with 210 seats that is completely air-conditioned and available. Both students and adults visiting the museum can participate in a variety of shows and programmes.
Other amenities include a cafeteria, an exhibit hall, and an air-conditioned conference room. Originally, there were galleries dedicated to electricity, nuclear physics, motive power, copper, iron, and steel. Now, however, there are also galleries dedicated to fascinating physics, mining, communication, mathematics, transport, electronics, TV, and popular science. A fictitious underground coal mine that was built on the property in 1983 and is still well-liked today is also present.
Galleries at Birla Industrial and Technological Museum
Incredible Physics Gallery
The Classical Physics section of the gallery contains 28 exhibits on mechanics, light, electromagnetic waves, and gravitation. The modern physics section of the gallery includes images of the super cool region close to absolute zero temperature as well as the microcosm of subatomic particles. 38 exhibits are on display, and each one uses appealing visuals, animations, video, an unmanned quiz, multimedia, and other techniques to improve the user’s experience.
Travel Gallery
The public was invited to a gallery on transportation during the institute’s pre-golden jubilee year in 2008–2009. The gallery, which spans more than 50 exhibits and 500 square kilometres, traces the development of the wheel to supersonic jet engines. This gallery demonstrates how the advancement of land, water, and air transportation systems has given human life overall some new dimensions.
Inspiration Power Gallery
This gallery shows how man was forced to use animal power, wind power, and water power in order to increase his physical strength due to the increasing need for power. Even today, it can be seen in diesel and modern engines. The gallery contains both the most recent power sources and projections for the future.
Science of Life Gallery
Through a few exhibits that are both living and non-living, this gallery attempts to highlight the science of life. It demonstrates how human life has flourished on the planet throughout time and the diversity found in the three main habitats it can support: water, land, and air.
The Kids’ Gallery
On November 14, 2012, Dr. Shashi Panja, a West Bengal legislative assembly member, officially opened the Children’s Gallery for BITM. This gallery spans a 4000-square-foot area and contains numerous sections. The kid zone, learning zone, fun zone, play zone, mirror zone, ride zone, and assembly zone are a few examples of these. In these areas, kids can let their imaginations run wild as they explore and experiment with the items on hand.
Tips For Visiting Birla Industrial & Technological Museum
- Maintain order inside the museum and ask permission before touching any of the models that are on display there.
- The museum offers a combo ticket that covers admission to the science exhibit, 3D show, and coal mine.
- A canteen that serves food and beverages is located on the museum’s top floor. The Bengali thali is available here.
- One of the best shows the museum has to offer is the Liquid Nitrogen Show, which you should not miss.
How To Reach Birla Industrial Technological Museum
The Birla Industrial and Technological Museum is located on Gurusaday Road in Kolkata and is easily accessible via any form of public or private transportation, including bus, autorickshaw, or taxi.
The museum has plenty of parking spaces available. So you can even take a personal vehicle there.
