Academy Of Fine Arts

Kolkata and the people of Bengal are known the world over for their artistic bent of mind. No wonder, the Kolkata art scene is always buzzing with activity with art exhibitions and symposia.Any talk on the contemporary Kolkata art scene conjures up images of The Academy of Fine Arts which is one of India's finest art museum. In fact, it is much more than a museum. Not only does it house rare paintings and manuscripts, it is also among the few art centers in India which has a Textile museum with an exquisite range of textile items ranging from Dakhai, Jamdani, Patola, Benarasi silk etc.

Established in 1933, the Academy is a place where the city's culturally conscious intellectuals converge. It's art galleries feature exhibitions by contemporary artists throughout the year. The Rabindra gallery contains personal belongings, manuscripts and paintings by Tagore. Situated near Victoria Memorial, its galleries are open daily from 3 pm to 8 pm (except the Rabindra Gallery; 12.00 noon to 6 pm daily, closed on Mondays).

Address: 2, Cathedral Road, Kolkata 700016.
Ph.: 2223 4302 /4303

Nearby shopping venues

Kolkata is a shopper's delight. The Park Street-Esplanade stretch has all kinds of shops selling everything from Tibetan Thangkas to Ray Ban goggles. The stretch from The Oberoi Grand located in Esplanade to Park Street is one of the most fashionable places to shop. The flea market is especially very popular with tourists. Balucheri sarees and Vishnupur clay idols vie for attention alongside up market brands like Nike, Addidas, Westside and Pantaloons.
For handloom and handicraft items, The Cottage Industries Emporium at Chowringhee is well worth a visit.
You could also explore New Market, Vardaan Market at Camac Street, Central Cottage Industries Emporium at 7, J. L. Nehru Road, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan at 24, Chittaranjan Avenue, Priyadarshini at 14/C, Lindsay Street and Manjusha at 8/2 Jagamohan Mullick Lane, Barabazar. All of them offer a fabulous shopping experience.