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Recreation and entertainment need not revolve around gaming and movies, and Bangaloreans certainly enjoy their refined leisure time. Bengaluru has a number of attractive destinations for cultural enthusiasts who love the fine arts, including dramatics, theater, painting, sculpture, and lots more. Here are some of the trendiest places for some culture and cuppa in Bengaluru.
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is housed in the Manikyavelu Mansion, on Palace Road, Bengaluru. The property, which is spread out across 3.5 acres, was thrown open to the public in 2009. This world-class art gallery highlights the best of Indian art, beginning with works from the 18th century to the present. In addition to paintings and sculptures, the museum also showcases graphic prints, early Indian photography, miniature paintings, colonial artists, and different schools or styles of art like the Bengal School, post-independence, modern and post-modern art.
The museum also hosts exhibitions frequently, displaying both national and international artists. The museum also boasts of an auditorium, reference library, and a museum shop. It even has a cafeteria, where you can enjoy that cup of coffee and hobnob with art buffs.
Janapada Loka is another treat for anyone with a cultural appetite. Also described as a folk art museum and village, the site is spread across 15 acres of lush greenery in Ramanagara. The museum is today regarded as a national treasure, because of its efforts at preservation and showcasing folk cultural art and activities. In addition to exhibits that include traditional cooking utensils, farming equipment, and lots more it also has various artifacts, photographs of different art forms, an auditorium, open-air theater, restaurants, and lots more.
The Folklore Museum is a hidden gem that most tourists have never heard of. In fact, the museum is often overlooked by most of the city’s inhabitants as well. Housed in the stunning Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, the museum is situated within the campus of the University of Mysore. With its Greco-Roman the building is a picture of elegance and its interiors will impress you just as much. One of the notable features is the central hall, which has provided space for the performing arts. The museum also exhibits a huge collection of artifacts from tribal and folk culture.
Ranga Shankara may be one of the most recent additions to Bengaluru’s creative and cultural life, but it has fast emerged as one of its most prominent theaters. The theater was only opened in 2004, in memory of renowned actor Shankar Nag, by his wife Arundathi Nag. The theater is committed to the promotion of dramatics in all languages and it makes it accessible by lending out its premises at low rates. Plays are screened here regularly in various languages, but mostly in Kannada.
Ranga Shankara is known for its state-of-the-art design, with ample stage area, green rooms, and excellent acoustics and lighting. The theater also has a book shop with material on the performing arts. The café, which is within the premises, is also a popular hangout, where artists and audience often mingle between performances.
Galerie De’Arts is another recent addition to Bengaluru’s rich cultural tradition and was opened less than a decade ago. It has already become one of the leading art galleries in the city, both for its exhibitions and for the sale of contemporary Indian art. The gallery is located in the heart of the city and is spread out over 1000 sq feet on the 11th floor of Barton Center. The gallery is a favorite with artists and art-enthusiasts like, as it caters to both. The gallery often promotes aspiring artists and makes rare works known to the larger public. In addition to frequent exhibitions, the gallery also holds art talks, conducts film screenings, and provides advice to aspiring artists and art collectors.
With these destinations, you can rest assured that you will find what you are looking for. So, if you ever crave an evening of refinement and the company of artistic-minded individuals, visit one of these museums or galleries.
