New Delhi Museums and Guided Visits

November 5, 2026

Guided visits in New Delhi work best at places where interpretation adds something: a museum with thousands of objects, a palace with restricted access, or an old quarter with no street signs. Tickets are in Indian rupees, and the foreigner rate at ASI monuments is far above the Indian rate, so check which tier a guide’s price includes.

National Museum, Janpath

India’s largest museum covers the Harappan civilisation (including the Dancing Girl bronze), Buddhist relics and miniature paintings. Foreign visitors pay Rs 500 and Indian adults Rs 20, according to the museum’s visit page . It is closed on Mondays and national holidays and opens at about 10:00 on other days; check the closing time on the day. The nearest Metro stops are Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan.

Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, Teen Murti

This museum of India’s prime ministers occupies the Teen Murti estate, where Jawaharlal Nehru lived. It is closed on Mondays and gazetted holidays, and it opens from 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October and 10:00 to 17:00 from November to February. Check the foreigner ticket price at the ticket desk.

Rashtrapati Bhavan main building

The President’s residence, completed in 1929 to a design by Edwin Lutyens, can be toured on Tuesday to Sunday except gazetted holidays. Foreigners pay Rs 50 per visitor for each Delhi circuit. Book up to seven days ahead on the official booking portal , upload passport copies when booking and carry the original passport on the day. The main building tour enters through Gate 38, with slots from 09:30 to 16:30 and entry closing at 16:00. The Museum has only its first phase open at present. The famous garden, Amrit Udyan, opens only during the Udyan Utsav, in February and March and again in August and September, and is free with an online booking. The details come from the Rashtrapati Bhavan FAQ .

Old Delhi on foot or by cycle-rickshaw

Chandni Chowk, Dariba Kalan, Khari Baoli spice market and Paranthe Wali Gali make a good half-day with a licensed guide, because the lanes are narrow and crowded. Agree the price and the stops before you start, and wear modest clothes if you plan to visit Jama Masjid. Delhi by Cycle runs bicycle tours of Old Delhi; contact the company through delhibycycle.com for routes and times.

Humayun’s Tomb with Sunder Nursery

A guide helps at Humayun’s Tomb, where the garden layout and the later tombs inside the compound are easy to miss. Combine it with Sunder Nursery next door, which charges foreigners Rs 200 and is open 07:00 to 19:00 from April to September and 07:00 to 18:00 from October to March.

Booking tips

Guided tours are listed on GetYourGuide . Prefer small groups and read what the price includes: entry tickets, transport and guide are often separate. If someone at the railway station or airport says your hotel is closed and offers a tour office instead, ignore them and phone the hotel; the official India Tourism office is at 88 Janpath.