Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum: Collections and Visit Planning

Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum is known for a broad collection of Indian art and historical objects, presented in a building designed by architect Balkrishna Doshi. Ahmedabad ni Gufa’s art and architecture offers another way to appreciate his work. The museum opened to the public in that building in 1984.

The museum grew from the work of the L.D. Institute of Indology, established in 1956 through the joint efforts of Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Jain Acharya Muni Punyavijayji. Punyavijayji donated manuscripts, bronzes and cloth paintings to the institute.

The collections bring together religious art, manuscripts, paintings and objects from different regions. As you plan your visit, a few named collections offer a useful way to focus your time.

Madhuri Desai Collection

This collection presents sculptures from across the Indian subcontinent, alongside objects from Nepal and Tibet.

Muni Punyavijayji Collection

Look for Jain manuscripts and Gujarati Jain-style paintings. One notable manuscript of the Shantinath Charitra, painted on paper, is dated V.S. 1453 (1396 A.D.).

Priyakant Munshaw Collection

The coin collection ranges from punched-marked coins dated circa 600 B.C. to Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi coin and Jahangir’s Zodiac series in silver.

Shri Arvindbhai Collection

Highlights include an 11th-century Chola-style Nataraja and an 18th-century Nepali/Tibetan bronze mandala.

Other collection highlights

The Gopi-Anand Collection features beadwork associated with Saurashtra and Kutch, where the craft was used for household decoration and marriage ceremonies. The Pahari School Ramayana drawings comprise almost 62 folios showing episodes from the Ayodhya Kanda.

The N.C. Mehta Gallery holds over 1,200 paintings, with 250–300 on display at any given time. Another historical work is a scroll painted at Agra in 1610 by Mughal painter Ustad Salivahana, illustrating Emperor Jahangir’s order prohibiting animal killing during the Jain festival of Paryushana.

Both state that the museum closes on public holidays. Check the official site before you go.

Opening hours

• Tuesday to Sunday: 10:30–17:30
• Monday: closed

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Admission is free according to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The Museums of India listing says photography and videography are not permitted, so plan to view the collections without taking photos or video.

Reported visitor facilities include restrooms, drinking water, lockers and wheelchair-friendly access, along with a museum shop, audio/visual guides and guided tours. Group tours can be arranged by prior appointment. The museum also has a library and archives service, workshops and a museum app; the Museums of India listing reports no cafeteria or parking.

Allow about 1–2 hours for the visit; the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation gives an estimate of about 1 hour. If you have a particular collection in mind, decide what you want to see first, then leave the rest of your time for other galleries.

The museum is about 1.9 km from Rudra Royale Hotel, where you can choose a room at this three-star hotel. Its campus address is near Gujarat University in Navarangpura.

Ahmedabad ni Gufa is another art-focused outing elsewhere in the city, with a distinctive blend of art and architecture.