Birla Industrial & Technological Museum

বিড়লা শিল্প ও কারিগরি সংগ্রহশালা

Also known as BITM.

India’s first science museum, with a walk-in coal mine.

About Birla Industrial & Technological Museum

Opened in 1959 in a mansion given by the Birla family, this was the first science and technology museum in the country and the seed of the national network of science centres. Its galleries cover physics, transport, electricity and mathematics with working models, and its mock-up of an underground coal mine has thrilled generations of school trips.

Why visit

Hands-on science for children, in a quieter setting than Science City.

What to see and do

The underground coal mine
Working models in the motive power and physics galleries
Science shows through the day

Plan your visit

Area: Ballygunge & Gariahat, South Kolkata
Nearest landmark: Gurusaday Road, Ballygunge
Best time: Morning or afternoon. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
Time needed: About 2 hours
Cost: Usually under ₹100 a head
Entry: Open to the public with a ticket. Open most days of the year. Hours and ticket are not currently verified.
Train: Ballygunge Junction
Walking: Some walking
Photography: Photography is fine with some care.

Nearby and related places

Birla Mandir: A white-marble temple on Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue, lit at night.
Gariahat: South Kolkata’s shopping crossroads for saris and pavement bargains.
Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture: A cultural institute at Golpark with a library, a museum and evening talks.
Maddox Square: A neighbourhood park famous for the adda at its Durga Puja.
Netaji Bhawan: The house from which Subhas Chandra Bose made his great escape.
South Park Street Cemetery: A walled garden of obelisks and pyramids, opened in 1767.

More guides

Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.