Indian Museum : India's largest museum (admission Rs 10, Camera Rs 50, Monday closed) has a world class gallery of religious sculptures, gallery on plants and horticulture and a life size reproduction of the Barhut gateway, built by Bihari Buddhist in the 2nd century BC.

Victoria memorial : It is the most impressive colonial building in India (admission Rs 10, Monday closed). It is made of shining white marble and has statues and portraits of all the main players in the history of British India. During British Raj, a British family has 110 servants.

Marble palace : This marvellous mansion built by Raja Rajendro Mullick Bahadur in 1835. The raja was an obsessive collector of Victoriana and his palace is a treasure house of chintz. There is barely space to move between the marble busts, chandeliers, gold clocks and pottery dogs.

The palace garden has a small zoo with deer and birds. Permission for visiting can be obtained from West Bengal tourist office (no photography, closed on Mondays and Thursdays).