Victoria Memorial

The Victoria Memorial is a large white marble memorial and museum located on Queens Way in the Maidan area of central Kolkata, West Bengal. Built between 1906 and 1921 in memory of Queen Victoria, it is designed in Indo-Saracenic Revival style by architect William Emerson. Set within 64 acres of gardens, it houses a museum with paintings, manuscripts and artefacts from the British period and is an iconic landmark of Kolkata.

Visitors can expect a grand white marble building with domes, arches and a central Angel of Victory statue, set within expansive landscaped gardens with lawns, ponds and tree-lined avenues. Inside, the memorial functions as a museum with galleries displaying paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, photographs and artefacts related to Kolkata and the British period. Visitors can explore the museum halls, stroll through the gardens, view the exterior architecture, and attend the evening light and sound show.

Proposed by Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India, in memory of Queen Victoria who died in 1901. Foundation stone laid by the Prince of Wales in 1906 and completed in 1921. Designed by architect William Emerson in Indo-Saracenic Revival style blending British and Mughal elements, built with white Makrana marble. It was formally opened to the public in 1921 and now functions as a museum and landmark of the British period in Kolkata.

An iconic symbol of Kolkata and a major cultural institution housing one of the finest collections of paintings, manuscripts and memorabilia related to the history of Kolkata and the British period. The memorial and its gardens serve as a prominent public space, cultural venue and educational centre for art and history.