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State Archaeological Museum
From Brahmanical sculptures to medieval coins, stamps and portraits; the Archaeological Museum of Goa is one of the ideal destinations for those enthusiastic about ancient history. Tourists get to explore the remnants of Portuguese rule and small items that provide a glimpse into Goa’s rich cultural heritage. From great paintings of Vasco da Gama to Alphonso De Albuquerque the museum also has ancient artefacts of the other periods. The gateway is decorated by a towering statue of Alphonso De Albuquerque. The 3-6m high bronze statue of Alfonso de Albuquerque greets the guests at the entrance.

The Archaeological Museum Goa has been operational from the year 1964. It was rearranged and reorganised fully during the CHOGM Retreat in Goa during 1982. A lengthy hall lying to the retired side of the gateway to the Museum was converted into two galleries by laying a reinforced concrete floor with a newly built wide staircase at the extreme west to facilitate access to the first floor.

Museum of Christian Art
The Museum of Christian Art symbolizes an effort to showcase the richness of Indo-Portuguese Christian Art from Goa. It highlights a part of Goa’s heritage that is badly neglected and if not preserved, will be lost forever. The Museum of Christian Art showcases the wealth found in the various churches built by the Portuguese in Goa as well as some donations by private families. Intended to be a representative collection, every object displayed in the museum, reflects the immense wealth of the churches of Goa.

Asia’s first Museum of Christian Art was initially located at the Seminary of Rachol, Salcette, Goa, where it was inaugurated in 1994. The Museum is now relocated within the Convent of Santa Monica, Old Goa, in the vicinity of world Heritage Monuments.

Pilar Museum
Set on a small hill just south of the capital city of Panaji, along the National highway NH17 to Margao and Vasco, the Pilar Seminary is worth visiting for its quiet ambience, the small but interesting one-room museum and the spectacular views of the countryside from its location. The Capuchin monks founded the Seminary in 1613. They established a centre of learning along with the Church, which was named after Our Lady of Pilar, whose statue they had brought along with them from Spain. Around a small garden inside, there are cloisters decorated with seventeenth century frescoes. There is an interesting pictorial depiction of the history of the world, drawn by a missionary in the 1940s and a reredos with Fransiscan saints in the niches. The chapel on the first floor of this building is surrounded by some magnificent stained-glass windows, hardly seen anywhere in Goa. And if you can make it up to the roof terrace which is two floors higher, you are rewarded with some spectacular views of the Zuari river towards Vasco and also of the rice fields and coconut plantations of the Tiswadi taluka.

Naval Aviation Museum
Inaugurated on October 12, 1998, the Naval Aviation Museum is divided into two sections, an out-door exhibit and a number of indoor galleries.
Starting off with a humble collection of six vintage naval aircrafts, the museum has metamorphosed into India’s second largest aviation museum with twelve aircrafts on display. Among the aircraft collection, the piece-de-resistance is the giant Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation borrowed by the Navy from the Indian Air Force. Other aircrafts include Sea Harrier, Sea Hawk, Sealand, Alize, Dove, Vampire and Hughes. If the outdoor exhibits swell your heart with pride, the indoor galleries are no less impressive. Step inside and massive replicas of aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Viraat will welcome you. The weapons and armaments galleries display a variety of bombs, torpedos, sensors and cannon used by naval aircraft over the ages. The archive section features a photo gallery where old photos are on display profiling the Naval Aviation History from 1959 onwards in pictures and footnotes.

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