What began as a single museum in Kolkata has grown into a nationwide network of knowledge. The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), India’s first chain of science museums, continues to shape the scientific temperament of the nation, reaching millions with its innovative and interactive approach to learning.

Formed in 1978 under the Ministry of Culture, the NCSM operates as the largest network of science museums and centres in Asia, with 25 science centres and museums spread across the country. Its mission: to bring science closer to the people, making complex ideas understandable, engaging, and fun.

The movement began with the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) in Kolkata, inaugurated on May 2, 1959. Inspired by the Deutsches Museum in Munich, it was India’s first public science museum—and laid the groundwork for NCSM’s expansion.

• Science City, Kolkata – India’s largest science centre
• National Science Centre, Delhi – a hub of exhibitions and robotics
• Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum, Bengaluru – focusing on engineering and innovation
• Mobile Science Exhibitions (MSEs) – bringing science to rural and remote India

• Over 15 million visitors annually
• 300+ mobile science vans across districts
• Innovation hubs, planetariums, 3D shows, and space science programs
• Engages schoolchildren, educators, and the public with live experiments and festivals

“Science museums aren’t just buildings—they are temples of curiosity,” said a senior NCSM official. “From atoms to the cosmos, we make learning an adventure.”