Lalbagh Gardens & Viswesarayya Museum, Bangalore - Review

The huge 200-odd acre Lalbagh garden, located a few kilometers south of MG Road (Bangalore, India) is well-connected by public transportation - BMTC buses from Shivaji Nagar to Jayanagar area pass through one of the four gates of Lalbagh. The garden is very popular with joggers and primarily for their benefit the entry is free from 6AM to 9AM and after 6PM. Entry at other times is Rs 40 for adults with kids free. Hours are from 6AM to 7PM all days. Cars/scooters are allowed only through the East gate (Double Road). There is plenty of parking in that area as well.

Gala events are occasionally hosted at Lalbagh and the most famous among them are the biannual flower shows that happen in January and August on the occasion of India’s Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations respectively. The purpose of the flower show is to develop public interest in plant conservation and cultivation. It is held at the famous glasshouse of Lalbagh - called the “Jewel of Lalbagh”, it was built in 1889 on the lines of the Crystal Palace of London, to commemorate the visit of Prince of Wales.

The garden has a tremendous diversity of exotic flora, made possible by the painstaking process of introduction, acclimatization, and development of plants obtained from various parts of the world since inception - close to 700 genera and over 1850 species of plants are found in Lalbagh currently. Highlights of Lalbagh include the Kempegowda Tower (sweeping views of Bangalore city areas from the top of the hillock), several huge specimens of the Kapok (aka Java Cotton or Silk Cotton) tree including the largest known one, the Lalbagh Lake, Japanese monument replica, specimens of the weeping willow trees, statue of Sri Chamaraj Wodeyar (ex-ruler), the Lalbagh Rock (one of the oldest rock formations on earth dating back 3000 million years), Rose Garden, and the giant electronic flower clock built on the grounds by the HMT watch company. The garden also has a deer park and an aquarium.

Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, located on Kasturba Road in the heart of Bangalore is more an “interactive science center” than a museum. Currently under the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), the objective is to popularize science through interactive exhibits. Entrance is Rs 20 and the exhibits are spread-out over four floors. Hours are from 10AM to 6PM all days except Dusserah (Monday October 14, 2013) and Ganesha Chathurthi (Monday September 9, 2013).

Visitors interested in science should plan to spend at-least a day at the facility. The overall structure of the museum is as follows: First floor has machinery parts, second floor science and technology, third floor entertainment and space research center, and fourth floor food court. The building is not air-conditioned. Carrying plenty of water will help with saving energy to enjoy all what is on offer. Highlights of the museum include the rolling ball exhibit that travel endlessly through roller-coaster metal tracks ending with the drop and bounce to the basket, the virtual game area, the mini-planetarium show, the full-scale replica of the 1903 plane by the Wright brothers, and the 3D theater.

Cubbon Park, the Aquarium, Children's Park, Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, Vidhana Soudha, and Attara Kacheri are other attractions in the vicinity. Parking in the area can be a problem. Cubbon Park has some parking although it is not strictly legal. Another option is to use the parking lots of one of the shopping complexes in the vicinity- for Visvesvaraya museum, parking at UB City (Rs 50) is a good option - it is a five-star shopping mall that caters to the rich and has a good number of world renowned brand outlets.


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Last Updated: 02/2015.