Government State Museum

The Chennai Museum has a good collection of paintings and sculptures, both traditional and modern. The traditional paintings of Tanjore, Rajput, Moghul, Kangra, Deccani schools and modern paintings in Oil, Tempera, Water Colour, Graphics and Acrylic mediums. Graphics and modern style metal sculptures are also in the collections. Tanjore paintings .Rajput paintings belong to 16th and 17th centuries AD. The Kangra paintings represent Krishna legends as the main subject. There are twelve Portraits of British Governors and Governors-General in the collections.

The Raja Ravi Varma paintings, which are considered as National Treasures, have been placed in a gallery with Fibre Optic lighting. The Contemporary Art Gallery has been lit using Dichroic Halogen lamps. These lamps reflect back the heat. Therefore, the paintings are prone to the least possible damage. They also have a pleasing visual effect. These lighting methods are technology demonstrators and a first for museums in India at the time of their installation in 2001 AD.