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Partition Memorial Museum

Partition Museum, Delhi

Also Known As · Partition Museum at Dara Shukoh Library

New Delhi, Delhi · museum

A people's-history memorial to 1947 — oral testimonies, heirlooms and archives of Partition, inside a 17th-century Mughal-to-colonial library at Kashmere Gate.

Closed MondayEntry Fee: Free EntryTuesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; closed Mondays and on Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti

The Partition Museum, Delhi is a deeply moving people's-history museum devoted to the 1947 Partition of India — India's second such museum after Amritsar's — housed, fittingly, in the 17th-century Dara Shukoh Library Building on the Ambedkar University campus at Kashmere Gate. It opened in 2023 and has quickly become one of the capital's most affecting cultural stops.

Get Directions

Where to Eat Nearby

Nearby Vegetarian Eats

Haldiram's, Chandni Chowk

2 km away
casual

Pure-vegetarian thalis, chaat and sweets

Kake Di Hatti, Chandni Chowk

2 km away
casual

Vegetarian giant naan and paneer dishes

Old Famous Jalebi Wala, Dariba

2 km away
street food

Vegetarian hot jalebi and street sweets

About

The Partition Museum, Delhi is a deeply moving people's-history museum devoted to the 1947 Partition of India — India's second such museum after Amritsar's — housed, fittingly, in the 17th-century Dara Shukoh Library Building on the Ambedkar University campus at Kashmere Gate.

  • It opened in 2023 and has quickly become one of the capital's most affecting cultural stops.
  • Rather than dates and maps, the museum tells the human story of one of the largest forced migrations in history.
  • Through recorded oral testimonies, archival photographs, a 1947 archive, and personal artefacts, heirlooms, furniture and musical instruments donated by families, its galleries trace the lead-up to Partition, the trauma of displacement, and the resettlement that reshaped Delhi — with particular weight given to the city's own migration story and the refugee colonies that took in those who crossed from present-day Pakistan.
  • The setting adds its own layers: the Dara Shukoh Library Building began as part of the palace of the Mughal prince Dara Shukoh and later served as a British Residency, so the architecture itself carries Mughal-to-colonial history.
  • For vegetarian travellers the Chandni Chowk food lanes are a short ride away — Haldiram's, Kake Di Hatti and the famous Old Famous Jalebi Wala among them.

Practical notes

entry is free (confirm on arrival), and the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed on Mondays and on Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti. It sits inside a working university campus, so respect campus access; the content is emotionally heavy. Nearest metro: Kashmere Gate. Allow ninety minutes to two hours, and give the oral-history stations time in particular — the recorded voices of survivors are what stay with most visitors long after they leave, turning a history lesson into something deeply personal and human. It pairs naturally with a heritage walk around historic Kashmere Gate and the Old Delhi lanes just beyond.

Timings & Entry Fee

Visiting Hours

  • • 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Tue–Sun)
  • • Closed Mondays
  • • Also closed on Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti
Days OpenTuesday – SundayWeekly OffMondayEntry FeeFree EntryTime Needed1.5 to 2 hours

Entry Fee: Free entry per the official museum (confirm on arrival). It sits inside a working university campus.

Verified: July 2026

Location & How to Reach

Address

Dara Shukoh Library Building, Ambedkar University, Lothian Road, Kashmere Gate, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

In the Dara Shukoh Library on the Kashmere Gate campus

📍 Get Directions🗺️ View on map

🚇 Nearest Metro: Kashmere Gate (Red, Yellow & Violet Lines), Gate No. 7 — about a 10-minute walk

🚶 Walking from Metro: From Kashmere Gate metro (Gate No. 7) it is about a 10-minute walk along Lothian Road to the museum.

Distance from

  • • Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL): 20 km (~50 min)
  • • New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS): 3 km (~15 min)
  • • Connaught Place: 6 km (~24 min)

Parking

nearby · ₹20–₹50 (paid)

Limited parking near the old campus; the metro is easiest.

🚕 Ride Hailing Tip: Uber and Ola drop near the Kashmere Gate campus; walk in from Gate No. 7.

How to Reach: The museum is in the Dara Shukoh Library Building on the Ambedkar University Kashmere Gate campus, Lothian Road. Nearest metro: Kashmere Gate (Red, Yellow & Violet Lines), Gate No. 7, about a 10-minute walk. Autos and app-cabs also serve the area.

Things to Do

  • Walk the galleries on 1947 and its aftermath
  • Listen to survivors' oral histories
  • View archival photographs and heirlooms
  • Appreciate the Dara Shukoh Library Building
  • Walk historic Kashmere Gate nearby

Best Time to Visit

Best SeasonOctober to MarchBest Time of DayLate morning on a weekdayTime Needed1.5 to 2 hoursCrowd LevelsModerate and calm; weekdays are quieter

History & Significance

History

The Partition Museum, Delhi opened on 18 May 2023 in the 17th-century Dara Shukoh Library Building at Ambedkar University's Kashmere Gate campus — India's second museum on the 1947 Partition after Amritsar's.

  • Developed by The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust under the Ministry of Culture's 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme, its galleries emphasise Delhi's own migration story and the resettlement colonies that took in those who crossed from present-day Pakistan.

🏛️ Architect: Set inside the Dara Shukoh Library Building — a 17th-century structure blending Mughal-era palace origins (the library of prince Dara Shukoh) with later British colonial Residency additions, restored as a cultural hub.

Significance

The Partition Museum, Delhi is a people's-history memorial to one of the largest forced migrations in history — preserving oral testimonies, a 1947 archive and family heirlooms of loss, survival and resettlement — and a rare institution documenting the human cost of 1947, in a landmark heritage building.

Places to Visit Nearby

Red Fort

2 km away

The great red-sandstone Mughal fort of Shahjahanabad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chandni Chowk

2 km away

The historic, teeming main bazaar of Old Delhi and its vegetarian food lanes.

Yamuna Ghat (Vasudev Ghat)

2 km away

A restored Yamuna riverfront near Kashmere Gate, famous for winter seagulls.

Family & Accessibility

Kid Friendly3of 5Stroller AccessPartialWheelchair AccessPartialChanging RoomNoPet PolicyNo

Family Highlights

  • • Recorded oral testimonies of Partition survivors
  • • Archival photographs and the 1947 archive
  • • Donated family heirlooms and artefacts
  • • The historic Dara Shukoh Library Building

Photography & Drone

Drone PolicyProhibited

💰 Equipment Fees: Check gallery-by-gallery rules on site.

📍 The Golden Spot: The restored courtyard and façade of the Dara Shukoh Library Building.

🌅 Best Light Time: Late morning across the historic courtyard.

Tips & Safety

💡 Insider Tips

🌅 Secret View: The building itself — a 17th-century Mughal prince's library turned British Residency — is a heritage highlight beyond the exhibits.

🎯 Crowd Hack: Weekday late mornings are calmest; the content rewards an unhurried visit.

💎 Secret Fact: The museum is housed in the Dara Shukoh Library Building, once part of the palace of the scholarly Mughal prince Dara Shukoh and later a British Residency.

⚡ Express Tour

60 minutes — the core galleries and a few oral histories.

🔭 Deep Dive Tour

Half day — the museum, then a Kashmere Gate and Old Delhi heritage walk.

🙏 Etiquette & Dress Code

Do's

  • Walk the six galleries tracing 1947 and its aftermath
  • Listen to the recorded oral histories of survivors
  • View the archival photographs and donated heirlooms
  • Appreciate the restored Dara Shukoh Library Building
  • Combine with a heritage walk around Kashmere Gate

Don'ts

  • Do not plan a Monday visit — the museum is closed
  • Do not rush — the testimonies deserve time
  • Do not ignore campus access rules — it is inside a university
  • Do not photograph where a gallery restricts it

👕 Dress Code: No dress code; respectful conduct given the heavy content.

📷 Photography Rules: Photography rules vary by gallery — check on site.

Good to Know

💳 Money & Connectivity

UPIYesCardsPartialCashYes

🏧 Nearest ATM: ATMs around Kashmere Gate and Chandni Chowk (within 1.5 km).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Partition Museum, Delhi timings and which day is it closed?

It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed on Mondays and on Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.

Is there an entry fee for the Partition Museum, Delhi?

The official museum lists free entry; a few third-party listings mention a nominal ticket, so confirm on arrival.

Which is the nearest metro to the Partition Museum, Delhi?

Kashmere Gate (Red, Yellow and Violet Lines), Gate No. 7, is about a 10-minute walk along Lothian Road.

What is the Partition Museum, Delhi about?

It tells the human story of the 1947 Partition through oral testimonies, archival photographs, a 1947 archive and donated family heirlooms, with a focus on Delhi's own migration and resettlement.

What is the Dara Shukoh Library Building?

It is the 17th-century building housing the museum — once part of the palace of the Mughal prince Dara Shukoh and later a British Residency, now restored as a cultural hub.

Where can I eat vegetarian food near the Partition Museum?

The Chandni Chowk food lanes are a short ride away — Haldiram's, Kake Di Hatti and the famous Old Famous Jalebi Wala among them.

Categories

Heritage & Culture

Related

EducationalPeacefulFree EntryNear MetroSightseeingIconic Landmark
#partition-museum#1947-partition#dara-shukoh-library#kashmere-gate#oral-history#free-entry
Partition Museum, Delhi, New Delhi — TasteYatra