Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum: What to Know Before Visiting

The museum’s collection was assembled by Dr. D. G. Kelkar and dedicated to the memory of his only son, Raja. Established in 1962, it brings together objects that span domestic life, craft, music and visual art.

The collection includes lamps, palanquins, carved woodwork, musical instruments, miniature and glass paintings, arms and armour, ivory, kitchen utensils and textiles. Its galleries and collections also cover doors, Mastani Mahal, bronzes, writing implements, tambool and puppets. These subjects give you a sense of the range, from household objects to specialized craft and historical displays.

Rather than treating the visit as a quick stop for one signature object, allow time to follow the range of themes. You can move from kitchen utensils and textiles to musical instruments, then look for the galleries devoted to doors, arms and armour, and Mastani Mahal.

Plan your visit around the collection’s variety: the museum has about 22,000 artifacts across multiple galleries and subjects. These include kitchen utensils, textiles, lamps, musical instruments, ivory, doors, bronzes, writing implements, tambool and puppets.

A simple way to structure the visit is to choose a few themes before you start, then leave room to follow something that catches your attention.

For example, you might begin with objects from domestic life, such as utensils and lamps, and then turn to musical instruments or carved doors. This can help you make sense of a large collection without assuming that every visitor will spend the same amount of time in each gallery.

The collection also includes miniature and glass paintings, palanquins, arms and armour, and carved woodwork. If those are priorities for you, check which galleries are open and how much time you have once you arrive. The museum’s visitor page does not specify photography rules or accessibility facilities beyond free entry for blind and differently abled or physically challenged visitors.

The museum is at No. 1377/78, Kamal Kunj, Bajirao Road, Natu Baag, Shukrawar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002. From Hotel Phoenix, it is about 34 minutes by car. Shanipar and Abhinav Kala Vidyalaya are nearby bus stops, which can help you identify the area when planning a bus journey.

For broader orientation, the museum is 4 km from Pune Railway Station, 12 km from the airport and 2 km from Swargate Bus Station. You could pair the visit with nearby Sarasbaug or Vishrambaug Wada, both listed among the central Pune stops in this post.

Hours are given as 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., though the museum’s own schedule starts at 10:00 a.m. It is open to visitors throughout the year, but hours may differ during special festivals such as Diwali. The museum closes on 26 January, 15 August, Anant Chaturdashi and the following day; call 020 24482101 to confirm exact hours.

Opening hours

• Monday to Sunday: 10:00–17:30

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Admission is Rs. 50 for children below 12 years, Rs. 140 for adults above 12 years, Rs. 500 for foreign adults and Rs. 100 for foreign children. Entry is free for blind and differently abled or physically challenged visitors. Prices and visiting arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go.

Nearby places include Sarasbaug, Parvati, Vishrambaug Wada, Shaniwar Wada, Lal Mahal, Pataleshwar Caves and Dagduseth Halwai Ganesh Temple. P. L. Deshpande Japanese Garden is also nearby. Choose a small number to pair with the museum rather than trying to cover every stop in one go.

If you want to organize other central stops into a day, an old-city itinerary for one day in Pune can help you plan the sequence.

Market streets offer a different focus for a central Pune outing.

The areas covered in this guide to Tulshibaug, Mandai and Laxmi Road are useful to keep in mind if you want to include shopping streets.