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Calcutta has been the center of education and hub of cultural activities. The legacy of colonial masters has been preserved and new developmental activities brought engineering marvels to this traditional city. The booming real estate has done some damage to the old fabric but the malls and shopping arcades have brought modernity in the land of tradition.
Indian Museum Kolkata is known for its passionate people whose love for art is unparalleled. The Indian Museum celebrates this passion. The two century old museum was established by Nathaniel Wallich with more than 60 galleries covering the whole spectrum of art. The six broad sections cover archeology to anthropology and even the industrial revolution. The time is still in these corridors, you can find a Mummy from Egypt, a piece of meteorite, Persian paintings or even a hand woven Tibetan silk. The other notable museums in Kolkata are the Asiatic Society Museum, Rabindra Bharti Museum and Center of International Modern Art (CIMA). CIMA, the latest addition on the art scene with more than 9000 sq ft of display space is host to numerous art exhibitions a-la London or New York.
Rabindra Sadan Rabindra Sadan, the cynosure of Bengali film industry and the center stage of Bengali culture is located in the southeast of Maidan. Exhibitions, cultural programs are a regular feature of Rabindra Sadan and Nandan theatre, which is co-located. It houses three movie theatres and latest movie premiers are screened here. Try your luck to grab a ticket.
Vidyasagar Setu The largest cable bridge of the Asian Continent has been built on the design of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is the second bridge on the Hoogly River and connects Kokata to Howrah. The second Howrah Bridge is a construction marvel with 121 cables on four pylons supporting a 457 m long six lane roadway. The bridge was constructed at a cost of about $100 million in 1994 and has a capacity to handle 85000 vehicular crossings a day. The raison-de-etre of the bridge was to ease traffic on the Howrah Bridge but the narrow approaches defeated the purpose. The plans are afoot to widen the ingress and egress points for its better utilization.
Birla Planetarium The largest of its kind is highly recommended for those interested in Astronomy. It is housed in semi spherical single storey structure designed according to ancient Indian architectural norms. The central dome with a diameter of 90 ft can easily seat 500 people. The shows are projected on the ceiling with a gigantic projector. The place has been designed to provide information in a palatable manner and all the schools visiting Kolkata would deliberately include a show at the planetarium. The entrance gets you in a mood for quest with celestial models, information on new celestial findings and busts of renowned astrophysicists displayed in the corridors.
Science City The latest addition in the list of places of interest in Kokata is located close to the Eastern Metro Bypass. It is an architectural and a science marvel. The sprawling complex has sections for Life Sciences, Space Odyssey, Dinosaur Complex, a Physical Sciences Park, Ropeway and the children’s favorite Toy Train and Time Machine. The Time Machine would take you back in time with a curious mix of movements and sounds. In just a few minutes you find yourself in the midst of Egyptian desert landscape or African wilderness.
The Dinosaur Complex has working mechanical models of swaying and gnarling dinosaurs. The shrieks of kids and even ladies can be heard when these behemoths spring surprise moves. The Ropeway will give you a quick overview of the Science City. A musical fountain with colored lights dancing to the tune of music is the favorite of kids. The place is not just exhibition and fun. It also houses large seminar rooms to seat 500 people with state of the art audio visual equipment. The main auditorium can seat more than 2000 delegates. It is the place for some serious science and developmental conferences. The other notable amusement parks are Nicco Park, Millennium and the water park Aquatica.
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