Of all the things that can be said about the Heritage Transport Museum, “boring" isn’t one. It’s the kind of museum that reshapes your interests, inviting you to admire things you might easily overlook.
History must be fond of Delhi! Not only does the city keep a hundred stories in its nooks and corners, but it also has many great museums to boast about too. Apart from the regular museums, the city has its share of eclectic collections, including museums based entirely on toilets, the metro, and even a doll museum. Adding to this list is The Heritage Transport Museum, dedicated to explaining the evolution of transportation in India in a way most museums don’t. Scroll on.
Vintage Vehicle Collection, amongst Other Things
The founder of the museum, Tarun Thakral, is a collector of vintage automobiles from across the country. The museum has a massive collection of vintage vehicles, vintage vehicle advertisements from old Indian dailies and magazines, old automobile spare parts in original boxes, old automobile memorabilia, vintage maps, and old postcards on modes of transportation in India, and a lot more.
A Bit Of Colour, A Bit Of Flair
The museum has an artistic take on things - you’ll find a mix and match of things such as a display with several bicycles put together in the shape of a pentagon set up against a white wall, a real car hanging from a ceiling, looking like it’s covered in bubble wrap, a Bollywood section, a ‘Jugaad’ section, which consists of vehicles assembled using custom made auto parts (including a colourful rickshaw with a Royal Enfield engine).
You can witness a beautiful installation of the air tracks of fighter planes or walk through a recreated street scene and find a luxury Jodhpur Express railway carriage on your side. There are beautiful colourful paintings all over the walls. This museum ensures you keep your eyes open wide all the time and embrace its collection and eclectic beauty.
Inside The Heritage Transport Museum
The entire structure includes four levels that are connected by ramps and elevators, making it accessible for disabled and elderly people. The area makes effective use of natural light and creates a feeling of vastness.
Level 0 has the Automobile Gallery showcasing the evolution of the car industry in India. There are roughly 75 working cars on display, all of which are parked on a reconstructed street. There were video installations presenting transportation-related films.
Level 1 showcases a timeline of transportation in India, starting with the wheel and including palanquin carriers, bullock carts, horse carriages, and camel carts, before moving on to engine vehicles. There's a lovely replicated railway platform where the magnificent Indian Railways' exploration story is told.
Level 2 is all about aviation and maritime. A yellow airliner hangs from the ceiling, and there are airway track art installations on show. In an installation, The Ganges is shown by the waves swirling around the boat. Images of people who used to live on the boat can be found among the waves.
The last, Level 3, has an art gallery which is a designated space for temporary exhibits, a conference room, a library and research center, and a refreshment lounge. This museum offers free admission to disabled visitors and one companion, as well as children under the age of three.
How To Get There
Located far away from any metro or bus station, the only feasible way to get here is by car. Your best choice is to stop by on your route to Jaipur or Mathura and pay a visit. Take a left off of NH8 towards Taoru and it will be there in front of you, surrounded by a lot of greenery.
Owing to the beautiful antique cars that serve as a great backdrop, this location has become a popular destination for pre-wedding shoots.
Where: The Heritage Transport Museum - Taoru Road, (Major District Road 132), NH-8, Bilaspur Chowk, Taoru, Gurgaon
Call Them: +91 9871 667 018
When: 10 am - 7 pm (Monday close)
Entry: Rs 200 Onwards
Also Read: From owning a stall in Karachi to becoming Mumbai’s iconic restaurant chain, the legacy of Bhagat Tarachand beholds.
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