Museum Address
6 Fairlie Warehouse, first floor, BBD Bagh
City
State
West Bengal
Pin Code
700001
Email
Phone Number
Museum website
http://www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in/index1.php?layout=1&lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=633&lid=541
Are there any docents or guides who visitors can directly call to book for a guided tour?
No
When was the museum established?
2009
Main category
Other categories
Briefly describe the history of the museum, its collection and donors.
The Maritime Archives and Heritage Centre, a venture of the Kolkata Port Trust, opened its doors in June 2009 as an attempt to acquaint visitors with the history of the organisation along with its contribution to the development of shipping and maritime trade in India. The collection at the heritage centre primarily consists of replicas/models of vessels, maritime equipment and memorabilia associated with the Calcutta Port (now Kolkata) since its inception in 1870. The display panels in the two galleries contain information that offers a glimpse into India’s rich maritime heritage. It describes the history of the Calcutta Port, various landmark events and the dawn of Indian enterprise in the colonial era. One cannot miss some of the original artefacts of the port trust on display. The 100-foot-long steel tape made in London in 1836 is one object that meets the eye. The tape, used in the construction of Kolkata’s iconic Howrah Bridge, is said to have negligible length variations with temperature change. This ensured a level of precision that was required for both sides of the bridge to be constructed with zero matching errors.
Photography
Yes
Videography
Yes
Cafeteria
No
Museum shop
No
Wheelchair friendly
No
Restroom
Yes
Drinking water
Yes
Locker room
Yes
Parking
Yes
Information in Braille
No
Workshops/seminars/lectures
No
Garden/picnic area
No
Audio/visual guides
No
Guided tours
Yes
Library and archives services
Yes
IT facilities ( Photocopying, printing, computer )
No
Auditorium
No
Conference/ Seminar hall
No
Museum membership
No
Conservation lab
No
Research lab
Yes
Who manages the museum?
Others
Others:
Kolkata Port Trust- an autonomous body under the Ministry of Shipping (Govt. of India)
Person-in-charge of the museum
Other
First Name
Documentation Advisor: Mr U. Ramesh (June 2019- Present)
Reference Link
•The page on maritime archives on the Kolkata Port Trust website: http://www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in/index1.php?layout=1&lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=633&lid=541 • A profile on the Maritime Archives and Heritage Centre: http://www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in/sho
What is the average duration to see the museum?
1-2 hours
Map your museum’s correct location on the map given below.
22.5460913, 88.3148851
Is the museum currently closed?
No
Image for museum exterior/building
Gallery Images
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Gallery 1: This displays the history of the Port of Calcutta along with models of ships and boats that came to the various docks
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A glimpse of Gallery 2
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The archives, which contain documents of the Kolkata Port Trust, date back to the 1800's
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The port's administrative files stacked in chronological order from 1949-99
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A model of a steering wheel (helm) used in smaller ships
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A handheld telescope used in Kolkata Port vessels on the Hooghly and the Bay of Bengal in the 1940s
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The navigational buoy lights/siren on display at the museum, each of which has different flashing patterns to signal a variety of messages
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A magnetic boat compass with an oil lamp on the side placed in the lifeboats of every ship
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A bust of Dwarkanath Tagore on display showcases the dawn of Indian enterprise at the Calcutta Port
Entry Fee
Not Applicable
Getting there
Nearest Bus stop: BBD Bagh
Nearest metro station: Chandni Chowk metro station/Central metro station
Cab/Uber/Ola: Location - North Kolkata Port Trust Vigilance Department
Nearest metro station: Chandni Chowk metro station/Central metro station
Cab/Uber/Ola: Location - North Kolkata Port Trust Vigilance Department
Opening Days
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Opening Time
10:30 a.m.
Closing Time
04:00 p.m.
The best time of the day to visit the museum?
The best time to visit the museum is in the morning, between 10:30 am - 1 pm
Interesting things about the Museum
The heritage centre is housed in a 100-year-old building—the Fairlie Warehouse on Strand Road, which was once a bustling centre of trade and commerce. Additionally, the heritage centre showcases several original artefacts associated with the Calcutta Port Trust that date back to the colonial era. The most interesting is the original 100-foot-long steel tape that was used in the construction of the Howrah Bridge. Another is a display panel containing a preserved copy of the money deposit slip made out to legendary actor Uttam Kumar in 1947 when he was an employee of the Port Commissioner’s Office.
Furthermore, some of the information on the thematic panels provides a unique perspective on the colonial history of India, particularly Bengal. For example, it covers the effects of the two World Wars on Indian trade, the system of indentured Indian labour in major colonies and the social aspects related to the ghats or ports.
Furthermore, some of the information on the thematic panels provides a unique perspective on the colonial history of India, particularly Bengal. For example, it covers the effects of the two World Wars on Indian trade, the system of indentured Indian labour in major colonies and the social aspects related to the ghats or ports.
Most uninteresting aspect of the museum
The lack of variety in the museum's collection is disappointing.
Seating facilities
Yes
Elderly friendly
No
a. Helpfulness (guides, guards, curator, director)
Above average
b. Approachability (curator, director)
Great
Remarks
The person-in-charge of the museum (documentation advisor) was extremely approachable. But having joined his post only two weeks back, he was unable to answer some of the questions given in form or talk about the museum policies. The other museum authorit
a. Building
Above average
b. Gallery
Above average
c. Washrooms
Average
Remarks
Despite the lack of visitors, the museum and the archives ensure a certain level of cleanliness.
Name of Museum Surveyor
Aditi Mazumdar