State Museum Lucknow

The State Museum Lucknow is the oldest and largest multidisciplinary museum in Uttar Pradesh, located within the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden (Lucknow Zoo) in Banarasi Bagh, Lucknow. Established in 1863 as the Provincial Museum, it houses extensive collections of archaeological artifacts, sculptures, coins, paintings, natural history specimens and decorative arts. Notable for its ancient Indian sculptures, Awadh gallery and Egyptian mummy, it documents the region's history from prehistoric to modern times.

Visitors can expect a four-gallery museum complex inside the Lucknow Zoo premises. The museum displays stone sculptures from Mathura and Gandhara, terracottas, bronzes, coins, miniature paintings, Awadh-era artifacts, natural history specimens, and decorative arts. Galleries are arranged thematically with archaeological, art, and natural history sections. The building is surrounded by zoo gardens and pathways, with indoor exhibition halls, display cases, and informational panels for self-guided exploration.

Established in 1863 as the Provincial Museum, it is the oldest museum in Uttar Pradesh. Initially housed in Chattar Manzil and later Lal Baradari, it was shifted to its present building within the Lucknow Zoo in 1963. The collection was built from archaeological finds, donations and excavations across Uttar Pradesh, documenting history from prehistoric times through Mauryan, Gupta, medieval and Nawabi periods.

The museum preserves and showcases the cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh and the Awadh region, including sculptures, paintings, coins, textiles and decorative arts. Its Awadh Gallery and art collections reflect Nawabi culture, while archaeological galleries illustrate the artistic and religious traditions of ancient India.