The Anthropological Museum in Port Blair – the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is one of the most profound tourism spots that one must visit. Being an ethnographic museum, it is home to a plethora of information about the local communities of tribes, inhabiting the islands.
The Anthropological Museum showcases the four Negrito tribes native to the Andaman islands namely the Jarawas, the Sentinelese, the Onges and the Great Andamanese. In addition, the museum also houses some priceless researches and studies on the two Mongoloid tribes, inhabiting the Nicobar islands. Those include the Shompens and the Nicobarese.
As a major tourist attraction, the museum is a delight for every tourist as it contains valuable insights about the ancient dwellers of the island. The Jarawa chest guard and the Shamanic sculptures among the other exhibits are the most notable. Apart from it, a large number of important items such as handicrafts, weapons, tools, photographs dating back to the old ages are on display here at the Anthropological Museum.
A detailed tour along the museum can give you a detailed insight into the life of the ancient native tribal community, the houses they lived in, their diet and the way of life. You can also find several insightful journals, publications and books in the souvenir shop, alongside the museum.
However, before visiting the Anthropological Museum, remember that it is closed on Mondays and other government holidays. Also, the operating times are as follows: 09.00 a.m. to 01.00 p.m. and 01.30 p.m. to 04.30 p.m.
Anthropological Museum Port Blair
The Zonal Anthropological Museum in Port Blair was established in 1975. It is one of the best museums in town to visit. It is a well maintained museum which tells us more about this island’s local tribes. These tribes are also believed to be one of the oldest in the world. The islands have six main tribes native to this place, Onges, Sentinelese, Jarawas, Andamanese, Shompens and Nicobarese. These tribes maintain limited contact with the world, and not a lot is known about them. On a regular day one isn’t permitted to enter the tribal areas, but need to take special permission for the same. This museum is thus one of the ways to understand and know about the tribal life here.
Anthropological Museum:-Basic Details Of
Timings of Anthropological Museum In Port Blair: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm (Monday closed)
Entry fee of Anthropological Museum In Port Blair:
Adults: INR 10
Student (with ID): INR 3
Camera: INR 20
Anthropological Museum:- Things To Do At
An hour or two are enough to take a complete tour of the museum. Listed below are a few things to do here:
- Know about the life of Paleolithic Islanders.
- Watch the various exhibits which include shamanic sculptures, Jarawa chest guard and more.
- Other Interesting items to see which are on display here are handicrafts, arts and crafts, tools, photographs, weapons, and clothing that dates back to the older times.
- Get familiar with the living style of the tribals through the models made out of hay and clay which gives one a picture of the kind of equipment and utensils they used, ornaments they wore, and the houses they lived in.
- Visit the souvenir shop that is adjoining the museum and find informative and interesting journals, books, and more such items here.
- Watch documentaries and short films on the lives of the tribes, their social customs, and culture of the Union territory.
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