National Museum, New Delhi

The National Museum in central Delhi holds a collection of more than 200,000 objects covering India's art and history, though only part of it is on show at any time. Highlights include Harappan seals and the bronze Dancing Girl of Harappa, about 4,500 years old, along with Mughal-era paintings, manuscripts and an Ashoka pillar.

Galleries follow the empires of India from the Mauryas to the Mughals, and rooms of life-size Buddha figures show how Buddhist sculpture changed by region and period. Jewellery, coins, arms and contemporary Indian art are also displayed. The building mixes traditional and modern styles around gardens and courtyards, and the museum runs guided tours, workshops, cultural programmes and audio-visual displays.