The Albert Hall turned upside down

The beatifully lit Albert Hall at night

This colourful building is called the Albert Hall Museum, or the Government Central Museum (which can make it a bit confusing when you’re out sightseeing in Jaipur).

It’s the oldest museum of the state, and it also functions as the state museum of Rajasthan.


And there’s some more confusion around the name. Stories about the origin of mention Albert Hall are a bit ambiguous: according to Wikipedia the museum is named after King Edward VII (Albert Edward), during whose visit to the city as the Prince of Wales, the foundation stone of the hall was laid.

But according to another story the museum gets its name from the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, because of the similarity of architecture.


The Maharaja at the time, Ram Singh wanted the building to be a town hall. And we read that in 1880 the hall was initially used for this. But the successor, Madho Singh II decided a few year later that it should be a museum for the art of Jaipur.

The foundation for the building started in 1876. And in 1887 it opened as public museum.

Nowadays you can find a rich collection of artifacts (paintings, jewelry, carpets, metal sculptures, a.o.) inside.


The building is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture we read, with Rajput influences. And the museum has always been famous for its architectural beauty, inside and outside.

We paid a nightly visit and got the chance to witness the colorful light show, making it even in the dark a spectacle to watch. And even more so with the 360° camera..


Albert Hall Museum, Ram Nivas Garden, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India


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