Also Known As · Crafts Museum · National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum
New Delhi, Delhi · museum
A living crafts village by Purana Qila — master artisans at work among mud huts and courtyards designed by Charles Correa, and 33,000 handmade treasures.
The National Crafts Museum — officially the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy — is one of the largest and most delightful crafts museums in India, a living celebration of the country's handmade traditions set on Bhairon Marg at the edge of Pragati Maidan, facing Purana Qila. Founded in 1956 by the All India Handicrafts Board and championed by the cultural pioneers Pupul Jayakar and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, it was created to document and revive India's craft heritage after Independence, and it does so not as a static gallery but as a place where the crafts are still alive.
Pure-vegetarian South Indian dosas, idlis and thalis
Vegetarian chaat, snacks and quick meals
An extensive vegetarian menu of regional Indian dishes
The National Crafts Museum — officially the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy — is one of the largest and most delightful crafts museums in India, a living celebration of the country's handmade traditions set on Bhairon Marg at the edge of Pragati Maidan, facing Purana Qila.
the museum is closed on Mondays and open through the day otherwise, with the crafts demonstration area especially worth timing; entry is free for Indians and ticketed for foreign nationals. Much of the site is open-air, so come in the cooler morning hours in summer. Allow two to three hours to enjoy the galleries, the artisan demonstrations and the shop.
Visiting Hours
Entry Fee: Free for Indian visitors · approximately ₹300 for foreign nationals. Confirm concessions at the gate.
Verified: July 2026
Address
Bhairon Marg, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi, 110001
On Bhairon Marg facing Purana Qila, at the edge of Pragati Maidan
🚇 Nearest Metro: Supreme Court (ex-Pragati Maidan) and Indraprastha (Blue Line) — each a short auto ride
🚶 Walking from Metro: From Supreme Court metro it is a short auto ride to the Bhairon Marg gate.
Distance from
Parking
on-site · ₹20–₹50 (paid)
Parking near the Bhairon Marg gate; busier during Pragati Maidan events.
🚕 Ride Hailing Tip: Uber and Ola drop at the Bhairon Marg gate; the museum faces Purana Qila across Mathura Road.
How to Reach: The museum is on Bhairon Marg at the edge of Pragati Maidan, off Mathura Road, facing Purana Qila. Nearest metro: Supreme Court (formerly Pragati Maidan) and Indraprastha (Blue Line), each a short auto ride. Autos, Uber and Ola reach the Bhairon Marg gate.
History
The National Crafts Museum was founded in 1956 by the All India Handicrafts Board, championed by Pupul Jayakar and Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, to document and revive India's living craft traditions after Independence.
🏛️ Architect: Designed by Charles Correa as an open, low-rise 'village street' of linked courtyards, mud-walled huts, terracotta shrines and a temple-cart across roughly 6.5 acres — a celebrated blend of vernacular Indian forms with modernist planning.
Significance
The National Crafts Museum is one of India's largest crafts museums — over 33,000 objects of textiles, folk and tribal art — and a rare living museum where master artisans work on site, housed in a landmark Charles Correa building.
The Old Fort on the legendary mound of Indraprastha, with a moat and light show.
Delhi's 176-acre zoo beside the Old Fort — a favourite family day out.
The 42-metre war-memorial arch and evening lawns at the heart of New Delhi.
Family Highlights
💰 Equipment Fees: Free for personal photography; some galleries may restrict it.
📍 The Golden Spot: The painted mud-hut village court with its terracotta horses and Bhuta shrine.
🌅 Best Light Time: Late morning across the open-air courts.
🌅 Secret View: Charles Correa's open 'village street' of courtyards is a design landmark in its own right — worth appreciating slowly.
🎯 Crowd Hack: Come at opening on a weekday to have the artisan court and galleries nearly to yourself.
💎 Secret Fact: The museum keeps craft alive through a rotating roster of visiting master artisans who demonstrate and sell their work on site.
⚡ Express Tour
75 minutes — the village court, a demonstration or two and the textile gallery.
🔭 Deep Dive Tour
Half day — the museum and shop, then the adjacent Purana Qila.
👕 Dress Code: No dress code; comfortable shoes and sun protection for the open-air courts.
📷 Photography Rules: Personal photography is generally welcome in the courts and craft areas; check for any restricted galleries.
🏧 Nearest ATM: ATMs around Pragati Maidan and Mandi House (within 1.5 km).
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, roughly 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (the crafts demonstration area to about 5:30 PM), and closed on Mondays.
Entry is free for Indian visitors and around ₹300 for foreign nationals; confirm any concessions at the gate.
Supreme Court (formerly Pragati Maidan) and Indraprastha on the Blue Line are each a short auto ride from the Bhairon Marg gate.
It is a living crafts museum — over 33,000 objects plus visiting master artisans who demonstrate and sell their work on site — set in a landmark Charles Correa "village street" of courtyards and mud huts.
Yes — the open village court, terracotta horses and live artisan demonstrations make it engaging for children; allow two to three hours.
Saravana Bhavan in Connaught Place and vegetarian counters around Pragati Maidan are close by, and the on-site café has an extensive vegetarian menu.
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