Telangana State Archaeology Museum

The Telangana State Archaeology Museum is the oldest museum in Hyderabad, established in 1931 by the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan. Located within Public Gardens at Nampally, it houses an extensive collection of archaeological artifacts including Buddhist sculptures, bronze relics, Ajanta painting replicas, and a rare Egyptian mummy dating back over 2,000 years.

Visitors can explore multiple galleries featuring stone sculptures from the Chalukyan and Vijayanagara periods, bronze artifacts, numismatics, manuscripts, textiles, and modern paintings. The museum's most notable exhibit is an Egyptian mummy believed to be Princess Naishu, daughter of Ptolemy VI Philometor. The Indo-Saracenic heritage building itself is architecturally significant with artistically designed interiors.

Established in 1931 by the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan to preserve the rich history and heritage of Hyderabad State. The Department of Archaeology was created in 1914 under his initiative. The museum was originally located at Town Hall before moving to its current Indo-Saracenic building constructed by the Nizam. It was renamed Andhra Pradesh State Archaeology Museum in 1960 and Telangana State Archaeology Museum after state bifurcation in 2014.

The museum preserves and displays artifacts representing Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, and Islamic heritage from various dynasties including Kakatiya, Chalukyan, and Vijayanagara periods. It houses unique collections including Ajanta painting replicas and rare manuscripts that document the cultural history of the Deccan region.