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Short answer: The Victoria Memorial ticket price (Kolkata), from the official Victoria Memorial Hall website, is ₹50 for Indian nationals, ₹100 for nationals of SAARC countries (with a passport) and ₹500 for nationals of all other countries to enter the museum galleries. A gardens-only ticket costs ₹30 per person, per entry. The galleries are open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and are closed on Mondays and seven national holidays. The gardens are open 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day. Ticket counters close half an hour before closing time.
Last checked: 13 November 2026. Fees, hours, closed days, free-entry rules and the address are from the official Victoria Memorial Hall website (victoriamemorial-cal.org). Fees and hours can change, so re-check the official Visit Us page or call the office (+91 33 2223 1890 / 1891) before you go. This guide is based on official pages and news reports, not a personal visit.
Gallery closure: the museum’s official notice of 20 January 2026 says the Biplobi Bharat Gallery (first floor) has been closed to the public from 27 January 2026 “until further notice” for repair and renovation. No reopening date was listed on the Announcements page when we checked on 13 November 2026.
Victoria Memorial ticket price 2026
| Ticket | Price (per person) |
|---|---|
| Museum galleries – Indian nationals | ₹50 |
| Museum galleries – nationals of SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), on production of passport | ₹100 |
| Museum galleries – nationals of all other countries | ₹500 |
| Gardens only – daily ticket (per entry) | ₹30 |
| Annual garden entry pass – senior citizens above 60 | ₹1,000 |
| Annual garden entry pass – all others | ₹2,000 |
Source: official Visit Us page, checked 13 November 2026.
- Garden ticket vs museum ticket: the official page says the garden ticket does not give entry to the museum building. It does not say in so many words whether the museum ticket also covers the gardens; several travel guides say it does, but ask at the counter if you only want to buy one ticket.
- No separate child rate is published. The official page lists one price per head by nationality, plus free entry for school students in uniform (below).
- No senior-citizen discount on the museum ticket is listed. The only senior rate is the ₹1,000 annual garden pass for visitors above 60.
- Example (our arithmetic): a family of two Indian adults and one teenager who is not in school uniform pays ₹150 for the museum (3 × ₹50). Two visitors from Bangladesh with passports pay ₹200 (2 × ₹100). Someone who only wants a walk in the gardens pays ₹30.
Who gets free entry
The official Visit Us and Offline Tickets pages list free admission for:
- School students up to Class XII in school uniform and with a school ID;
- Differently-abled visitors with a UDID card;
- Army personnel and their accompanying spouses and children, on production of ID cards for each; members of the para-military forces, West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police with their immediate families, and pensioners of these services.
School groups can book a visit by writing to the museum ([email protected]); the official page says 45-minute guided tours are available for school visits and asks for a letter on the school’s letterhead signed by the principal.
The museum has also announced free entry to the gardens and galleries on International Museum Day (18 May) in both 2025 and 2026. Check the Announcements page for any such day before you go; it is not a permanent rule.
Victoria Memorial timings and closed days
| What | Official time |
|---|---|
| Museum galleries | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM |
| Museum ticket counters | Close half an hour before the galleries close (so about 5:30 PM) |
| Gardens | 6:00 AM–6:00 PM, open on all days |
| Garden ticket counters | Close half an hour before the gardens close (so about 5:30 PM) |
| Galleries weekly closure | Every Monday |
| Galleries holiday closures | Republic Day, Holi (Dol Yatra), Id-ul-Fitr, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), Christmas Day |
| Museum souvenir shop | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM (closed on Mondays and designated holidays) |
Source: official Visit Us page and home page, checked 13 November 2026. The “about 5:30 PM” counter time is our arithmetic from the official “half an hour before closure” rule. A museum notice says the gardens have been open 6:00 AM–6:00 PM throughout the year, even on holidays, since 26 March 2025, so on a Monday you can still walk in the gardens with a ₹30 ticket, but the galleries are shut.
- Next listed gallery holiday: Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026 (galleries closed; gardens open per the official “all days” rule).
- One-off changes happen: in 2026 the museum announced a full closure on 29 April 2026 (West Bengal Assembly election), early closing on 23 January 2026 (Parakram Diwas) and North Gate entry suspended until 1 PM on 26 January 2026 because of the Republic Day parade on the Maidan. Check the Announcements page before you go, especially around national holidays.
Light and Sound show
The official Visit Us page mentions the Light and Sound show but publishes no ticket price and no show times; it only says the schedule “is subject to last minute change” and to weather, and that block bookings are made by email. The Announcements page shows the regular show running in 2026 with occasional suspensions (for example, it was suspended on 24 October 2026). Show prices and timings quoted on travel sites vary and are often several years old, so we do not repeat them here. Ask at the counter or call the office for the current show time and price.
How to buy tickets (online and at the gate)
- At the gate: tickets are sold at the North Gate counter (opposite the Maidan) and the South Gate counter (opposite SSKM Hospital), per the official Offline Tickets page.
- Online: the official Buy Tickets Online page links to booking through the Government of India ONDC platform. Booking through the museum’s own website was marked “Coming soon” when we checked. We did not check any booking fee charged by ONDC apps; the prices in this guide are the museum’s own published rates.
- Use the link on the official page rather than search ads or unofficial “ticket” sites.
Address and contact
| Item | Details (official) |
|---|---|
| Address | Victoria Memorial Hall, 1, Queen’s Way, Kolkata – 700071, West Bengal |
| Phone | +91 33 2223 1890 / 1891; +91 33 2223 5142 |
| [email protected] | |
| Ticket counters | North Gate (opposite the Maidan) and South Gate (opposite SSKM Hospital) |
Source: official Contact Us and Offline Tickets pages, checked 13 November 2026. The memorial stands on the southern edge of the Maidan in central Kolkata; use a live map for the current travel time from where you are staying.
Photography and bags
The official Visit Us, Offline Tickets and Contact pages we read do not publish photography rules, a camera fee, a cloak-room fee or a list of banned items. Travel guides describe rules on flash, tripods and large bags, but we could not confirm them from an official page, so follow the notice boards and staff instructions at the gate.
Recent news (last 12 months)
- January 2026: the museum closed the Biplobi Bharat Gallery (first floor) from 27 January 2026 until further notice for repair and renovation (official notice dated 20 January 2026).
- March 2026: The Times of India reported on 6 March 2026 that the memorial’s exterior lighting was getting a makeover, with new dynamic lights on the southern facade expected to be complete by mid-March.
- April 2026: the galleries, gardens and 3D projection-mapping shows were closed on 29 April 2026 for the West Bengal Assembly election (official notice). A Ministry of Culture reply posted on the museum’s website in April 2026 says ₹59.96 crore has been allocated for the memorial’s modernisation and renovation, carried out by NBCC Ltd.
- May 2026: free entry to the gardens and galleries on International Museum Day, 18 May 2026 (official notice).
- October 2026: the regular Light and Sound show was suspended on 24 October 2026 (official notice).
- November 2026: The Hindu reported (3 November 2026, updated 6 November) that Victoria Memorial Hall is one of the Kolkata venues of the second Bengal Biennale, whose Kolkata edition opens on 28 November 2026 and runs to 2 January 2027. The museum’s own pages did not list any Biennale ticket or timing change when we checked. The Times of India reported on 12 November 2026 that objects from the memorial’s reserve collection will be loaned to the new Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum in Delhi; the selection had not been finalised.
We found no news in the last 12 months of a change to the ticket prices. Because gallery modernisation work is under way, a gallery may be closed when you visit.
Tips before you go
- Avoid Mondays if you want to see the museum; the gardens stay open.
- Reach the counter before about 5:30 PM; the counters close half an hour before the 6:00 PM closing.
- Foreign visitors from SAARC countries should carry a passport to get the ₹100 rate.
- School students should wear uniform and carry the school ID to enter free.
- More in Kolkata? See the Alipore Zoo ticket price guide and the Aquatica Kolkata ticket price guide. Comparing museums? See the Salar Jung Museum (Hyderabad) ticket price guide.
FAQ
What is the Victoria Memorial ticket price in 2026?
₹50 for Indian nationals, ₹100 for SAARC nationals (with passport) and ₹500 for nationals of all other countries for the museum galleries, per the official Visit Us page checked on 13 November 2026. A gardens-only ticket is ₹30 per entry.
Is Victoria Memorial closed on Monday?
The museum galleries are closed every Monday and on seven national holidays. The gardens are open 6:00 AM–6:00 PM on all days.
What are the Victoria Memorial timings?
Galleries 10:00 AM–6:00 PM; gardens 6:00 AM–6:00 PM. Ticket counters close half an hour before closing.
Does the garden ticket include the museum?
No. The official page says the ₹30 garden ticket does not give entry to the museum building.
Can I book Victoria Memorial tickets online?
Yes. The official Buy Tickets Online page links to booking through the Government of India ONDC platform; the museum’s own online booking was marked “Coming soon”. Tickets are also sold at the North Gate and South Gate counters.
Is entry free for students?
School students up to Class XII enter free if they are in school uniform and carry a school ID. College students are not listed for free entry.
Where is Victoria Memorial?
At 1, Queen’s Way, Kolkata – 700071, on the southern edge of the Maidan.
Sources (checked 13 November 2026)
- Victoria Memorial Hall – Visit Us
- Victoria Memorial Hall – Offline Tickets
- Victoria Memorial Hall – Buy Tickets Online
- Victoria Memorial Hall – Announcements (including the 20 January 2026 gallery notice)
- Victoria Memorial Hall – Contact Us
- Victoria Memorial Hall – parliamentary question replies (April 2026, modernisation funding)
- The Times of India, 6 March 2026 (lighting makeover)
- The Hindu, 3 November 2026, updated 6 November (Bengal Biennale venues and dates)
- The Times of India, 12 November 2026 (loans to the Delhi museum)
