Chennai has the second oldest museum in India

Started in 1851, the museum is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections. The building was built by Namberumal Chetty and was designed by Henry Irwin, with the interiors resembling those of Bank of Madras (SBI). 

The museum has the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside Europe. The National Art Gallery is also present in the museum premises. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, it houses rare works of artists like Raja Ravi Varma. The museum complex consists of six buildings and 46 galleries. 

The objects displayed in the museum cover a variety of artefacts and objects from diverse fields, including archaeology, numismatics, zoology, natural history, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts and Amravati paintings.