Last Updated on July 5, 2024 by Tariq
Looking for a fun and educational experience to immerse yourself in the world of music?
The Indian Music Experience (IME) – India’s first interactive music museum located in Bengaluru offers just that.
With its nine spectacular exhibit galleries designed by international experts, IME provides a one-of-a-kind experience for music lovers of all ages.
IME allows you to truly experience Indian music and get a glimpse into India’s rich musical heritage in an immersive and enjoyable manner.
The museum even has a Learning Centre where you can enroll in vocal and instrumental music classes for both children and adults.
You can also opt for a music-themed birthday celebration for your child in the Sound Garden filled with interactive musical installations and activities.
So, quickly learn here everything you need to know about IME and visit this haven for music enthusiasts, located in the heart of Bengaluru.
Quick Info
Looking for some quick info? Hope this helps! 🙂
Location | General Entry On weekdays: INR 150/- On weekends: INR 250/- FREE entry for children below 5 years old Guided tour for a group of children below 5 years On weekdays: INR 100/- On weekends: INR 100/- Children Upto 12 years and Senior Citizens above 60 years Entry: On weekdays: INR 100/- On weekends: INR 150/- Group(10 or more) Entry: On weekdays: INR 125/- On weekends: INR 225/- |
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Entry Fee | General Entry On weekdays: INR 150/- On weekends: INR 250/- FREE entry for children below 5 years old Guided tour for group of children below 5 years On weekdays: INR 100/- On weekends: INR 100/- Children Upto 12 years and Senior Citizens above 60 years Entry: On weekdays: INR 100/- On weekends: INR 150/- Group(10 or more) Entry: On weekdays: INR 125/- On weekends: INR 225/- |
Timings & Visiting Hours | Open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., from Tuesday to Friday (last ticket time is 5 P.M.) Open from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M., on Saturday and Sunday (last ticket time is 6 P.M.) Closed on Monday |
Nearest Metro | Yelachenahalli Metro station (Green Line). It is approximately 2.2 km away from the museum and takes around 10 mins to reach in a car or rickshaw |
Phone Number | +91 9686602366 |
Address | Brigade Millennium Avenue, JP Nagar 7th phase, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560078 |
Book Tickets | |
Website |
Indian Music Experience Museum Ticket Price
The ticket prices at the Indian Music Experience Museum are as follows:
General Admission
- Weekday: INR 150/-
- Weekend: INR 250/-
Children below 5 years (Non-Guided tour)
- Weekday: FREE
- Weekend: FREE
Guided tour for a group of children below 5 years
- Weekday: INR 100/-
- Weekend: INR 100/-
Children up to 12 years & Senior citizens (above 60 years)
- Weekday: INR 100/-
- Weekend: INR 150/-
Group (10 or more)
- Weekday: INR 125/-
- Weekend: INR 200/-
Educational Field Tour with Activity
- Weekday: INR 200/-
- Weekend: INR 200/-
Special Exhibition
- Weekday: INR 100/-
- Weekend: INR 100/-
Note
- From Tuesday to Friday, 5 P.M. is the cut-off time for the tickets to be issued
- On weekends, 6 P.M. is the cut-off time for the tickets to be issued
How to Reach the Indian Music Experience Museum?
By Bus: Visitors can reach the Indian Music Experience by bus from Majestic Bus Station or Kempegowda Bus Terminus, the two major bus stops in Bengaluru. Both bus stops are located around 13 kilometers from the museum. Visitors can board bus number 215 from either bus stop to reach the Indian Music Experience. It passes through the busy JP Nagar area where the museum is located and takes around 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
Visitors can get down at the JP Nagar 8th Phase bus stop, which is close to the museum. From there, it is just a short 5-10 minute walk to reach the Indian Music Experience.
By Train: If you’re availing train, you can take a train to the Krishnadevaraya Halt, the nearest train station from IME. It is situated 11km away from the museum and you’ll need to take an auto-rickshaw or a cab.
By Metro: The nearest metro station is the Yelachenahalli metro station on the Green Line. Visitors can take the metro to Yelachenahalli station and either walk or take an auto-rickshaw for 2.2 km to reach the museum.
Indian Music Experience Museum: Things not to Miss
Sound Garden
(Source: Indian Music Experience Museum FB Page)
The Sound Garden at the Indian Music Experience Museum promises visitors an interactive musical journey like no other through its array of fascinating installations that engage the senses.
The installations allow visitors to create, manipulate and experience sound and music in unique and memorable ways.
The Singing Stone installation invites visitors to rub their wet hands across the stone surface to produce vibrations and resonance that resemble a musical note.
The Humming Stone encourages visitors to hum into it while adjusting the tone and pitch of their voice to match the stone’s resonance.
The Sound Railing installation consists of railings that produce different notes and tones as visitors run their hands across them, creating a melodious tune.
In addition to these, there are numerous other installations that invite visitors to tap, clap and stomp to create rhythms and beats.
The Nine Galleries
The Instruments Gallery
The Instruments Gallery is a highlight of the Indian Music Experience museum, housing over 100 rare musical instruments from across India.
Visitors are offered a glimpse into the rich instrument diversity that helps shape Indian music.
The collection includes some of the most fascinating instruments that remain integral to various Indian music traditions even today.
Each instrument display provides visitors with comprehensive details about its origin, history of use, and cultural significance.
Among the notable exhibits is the Mayura Veena, a peacock-shaped veena that showcases the exquisite craftsmanship and decorative styles once an integral part of Indian instrument making.
The Living Traditions
This section of the Nine Galleries aims to familiarize visitors with the rich vocabulary, concepts, and genres of Indian classical music in an interactive and immersive manner.
Through innovative exhibits and installations, the section elucidates fundamental concepts like ‘sruti’, ‘raga’, ‘khayal’, and ‘dhrupad’ that form the basic building blocks of Indian classical music.
Contemporary Expressions Gallery
This gallery showcases contemporary Indian music through displays like Daler Mehndi’s costumes and two embellished autos.
Songs Of The People Gallery
The rich musical heritage of India’s tribal communities and folk music traditions from across the country are celebrated through artifacts, photographs, and audio-visual exhibits.
It also features the storytelling traditions of Rajasthan using kaavad boxes.
Devotional Music Gallery
Dedicated to the various genres and styles of devotional music in India, this gallery showcases the spiritual and religious influences on Indian music.
The Hall Of Fame
(Source: Indian Music Experience Museum FB Page)
The Hall of Fame pays tribute to some of the greatest legends of Indian music by showcasing exhibits on over 100 musical stalwarts.
From iconic classical singers like Bismillah Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, and M.S Subbalakshmi to legends of Hindi film music like R.D Burman, the exhibits provide insights into their immense contribution to the world of Indian music.
Melting Pot Gallery
This gallery showcases the exchange of musical ideas and influences between Indian and Western music.
It highlights how Western classical music and styles like jazz, blues, and pop found their way into Indian music around the 20th century, ushering in a new era of fusion between the two distinct traditions.
Songs Of Struggle Gallery
This gallery pays tribute to the role of music during India’s freedom struggle and the early years after independence.
It showcases the music and songs that inspired and motivated the nationalist movement.
Patriotic songs from the era, as well as songs from freedom struggle-themed movies, are displayed, transporting visitors back to that epochal period of India’s history.
Important figures from the cultural world who played an active role in the independence movement through their art also find prominence in the exhibits.
A letter written by Mahatma Gandhi to legendary Carnatic musician M.S Subbulakshmi lauding her patriotic song Chenna Patru Walikattum is on display, highlighting the connection between music and the freedom movement.
Recording Gallery
The recording gallery charts the remarkable journey of how music has been recorded over the decades, from the early gramophone to the latest mobile phone applications.
Visitors are treated to a walk down memory lane starting with some of the first devices used for recording and playing back music in India like the wind-up gramophone and Bakelite records.
The evolution of magnetic tape recording and the advent of the cassette era is showcased through actual exhibits of vintage tape recorders and early cassette players.
Introductory Theatre
A visit to the Indian Music Experience museum with your child is sure to be an enriching and delightfully immersive experience.
Your musical journey begins at the entrance itself where your child will be impressed and enthralled by an immersive theatre show showcasing the prevalence of music in everyday life.
With multimedia and special effects, the show brings alive the ubiquity and power of music in a visually appealing manner, setting the tone for the rest of the visit.
The Recording Studio
The Recording Studio allows visitors to unleash their inner musicians and create their very own music.
The studio is equipped with state-of-the-art music production software and musical instruments.
Visitors can choose from a variety of background music tracks ranging from Indian classical to pop and rock.
They then get to record their own vocals or an instrumental performance over the selected track.
Architecture of the Indian Music Experience Museum
(Source: Indian Music Experience Museum FB Page)
The Indian Music Experience Museum was designed by the firm Gallagher and Associates who also designed the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
The Sound Garden was co-created by Svaram and designer Michael Foley.
The interior design is inspired by the melodic framework of raga in Indian classical music.
The museum is divided into the Sound Garden, 8 galleries, and a learning center.
The 9 galleries each represent a unique aspect of Indian music.
The building has multiple levels interconnected by ramps and steps.
The entry plaza leads down to an exhibition space that doubles as a performance area.
Galleries are on the first two levels and the learning centre is on the top level. The ground level has a lobby with a music store, cafe, and offices.
Other Features at Indian Music Experience Museum
(Source: Indian Music Experience Museum FB Page)
The Indian Music Experience Museum offers visitors more than just its fascinating exhibitions.
Here are some of the other facilities on offer:
- Under the guidance of trained music therapists, the Sound Spa uses music to heal and rejuvenate visitors through different sound therapy techniques
- The museum regularly hosts musical events featuring renowned artists from India and around the world. Concerts, recitals, and performances are regularly organized
- Regular classes, workshops, and library resources catering to all levels are available for those wanting to learn about music. Visitors can enroll in these programs by contacting the concerned department
- The museum has seminar halls, performance theatres, and an open-air amphitheater that can be customized for hosting concerts, events, and parties
- A cafe serving refreshments is available for visitors wanting to take a break during their visit
- A well-stocked gift store offers music-themed souvenirs, books, CDs, and merchandise for visitors
The Learning Centre
(Source: Indian Music Experience)
The India Music Experience Museum has an active music school offering vocal and dance classes in Carnatic and Hindustani traditions.
Students can also learn to play musical instruments like the Veena, Mridangam, Keyboard, and Guitar.
The school frequently holds workshops led by renowned Indian and international artists.
An annual event allows students to showcase their talents in front of an audience.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many hours are needed to explore the museum?
Given the vast scope of the museum, visitors are advised to allocate as much time as possible, ideally 3 hours, to explore the many exhibits and installations on offer.
Is photography allowed inside the museum?
Yes, you can do photography inside the museum.
(Featured images source Indian Music Experience Museum FB Page)
