Kolkata: City History, Culture and Science

Kolkata can be explored through a wide range of topics: city history, art, science, architecture and nature experiences each offer a different perspective. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Kolkata, you can first consider which of these facets you want to shape your stay. The places below show how varied your interests can be—from the city’s history to technical and architectural highlights.

City history and art in different forms

Kolkata Panorama explores the history of Kolkata and has been housed in the historic Town Hall since 2002. Its presentation is divided into 19 sections and covers 1,200 square metres. Its subject matter ranges from the freedom movement to developments in education, literature, music, performing arts, science and technology. It also covers social, political and socioeconomic history. In this way, the museum links political upheavals with the city’s cultural and social developments.

At the Indian Museum, sculptures greet visitors in the entrance foyer. The art gallery includes sections on Indian miniatures and the Bengal School of Painting. Within the same museum, then, visitors can find different approaches: an entrance area shaped by sculpture and two named focuses in painting. If you are particularly interested in art, you can take these distinctions into account when choosing the places you want to visit in the city.

Another cultural site is Jorasanko Thakur Bari, which houses the Rabindra Bharati Museum, founded in 1961. The Indian Coffee House on College Street, opposite Presidency College, also has a strong cultural history. It is described as a cultural venue rather than an ordinary café. Freedom fighters, well-known writers, authors, artists and filmmakers visited it; over coffee, they discussed screenplays, stories and social struggles. This describes a historic meeting place whose significance goes beyond the story of an ordinary café.

Science, architecture and city views

Science City opened on 1 July 1997. It presents science and technology in an engaging, educational and entertaining environment for people of all ages. The Digital Panorama is described as the first of its kind in the world. While Kolkata Panorama focuses on the city’s history, Science City focuses on science and technology—a useful distinction when deciding what kind of discovery you would like to make the focus of your visit.

Buildings also offer a distinct focus. The architecture of the M. P. Birla Planetarium is inspired by the famous Buddhist stupa at Sanchi. The Howrah Bridge brings together history, engineering and city views: it replaced an earlier pontoon bridge in the 19th century and is a cantilever bridge whose construction uses no bolts or nuts. A drive across the bridge offers views of the Kolkata skyline and the Hooghly. The view of the city and river thus complements the technical and historical perspective on the structure.

Founded in 1875, Alipore Zoo is one of India’s oldest zoological parks. Visitors can discover the region’s diverse flora and fauna there. Mahajati Sadan offers a different kind of venue: it has a fully air-conditioned theatre with 1,309 seats and a seminar room for 160 people. The theatre can accommodate considerably more people than the seminar room.

These points of interest can help you decide what kind of stay you are looking for before choosing a holiday apartment in Kolkata. If several topics matter to you, you can make a list of the places you want to visit and check the location of a specific accommodation against it.

For the main travel overview: Kolkata.