India Seashell Museum & Aquarium @ Mahabalipuram, Chennai
Recently, I went to the India Seashell Museum & Mamalla Fish World (Aquarium) at Mahabalipuram, Chennai. Here is the Google Maps location. As you can guess by the name, it houses a nice collection of various seashells and a small aquarium. Wait, there is a souvenir shop where you can buy various things made out of seashells too! 🙂
There is an entry fee of Rs. 100 per person for the Seashell museum, and an additional ticket of Rs. 50 for the aquarium and souvenir shop. You can buy a combo ticket at lower price – I think Rs. 130. There is a separate ticket for camera: Rs. 100/-. These were the prices when I went in March, 2016. So yeah, this place is quite expensive, but the seashell collection is exhaustive and the concept is unique.
In these photos, I am just showing you a fraction of what you can find there. There are many more seashells on display – I guess around 40,000 of them in total, collected by their owner. Actually, we got a separate ticket to the museum, and then decided to visit the aquarium. The owner was there when we asked, and he asked the staff to give the additional tickets at combo pricing.
There are other interesting articles like car, train, plane, etc. made of shells (?). Have a look at one of them here –
There is a sea food restaurant and ice cream/snack shops within the campus. And of course, there is the Fish World (Aquarium) that also houses the souvenir shop. The aquarium is small and houses only a few fishes, but the souvenir shop is another treat – they sell so many items, all made of different types of shells (and even pearls). You can buy conches (sangu) here. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s still worth a look. The prices seemed to be moderate. I bought two key chains with a small conch tied to them.
Next time you visit Mahabalipuram in Chennai and want to see something more than sculptures and monuments, you know where to go 🙂
Destination Infinity
Colorful pics…
Yeah, they are colorful, although there is an overdose of blue 🙂
Destination Infinity
Looks cool. The number of shells they have is huge, in spite of the ticket price!
I liked the train they made out of shells, hope you had clicked the airplane too 🙂
Yes, I have clicked the aeroplane too, but didn’t want to show everything here. I am not sure if it is made of shells.
Destination Infinity
Nice clicks:-)
https://doc2poet.wordpress.com/
Thanks 🙂
Destination Infinity
Great. Your new theme is cool
My post here http://www.enidhi.net/2013/11/sea-shell-museum-mahabalipuram.html
Yes I read your post. They seem to have increased the prices since then, but now they allow us to take photos inside.
Destination Infinity
The entrance design looks cool. so is the train.. nice share.
Yes, the entrance seems to have been designed very well. Esp. the octopus 🙂
Destination Infinity
wowowo that is a lot of Shells… look beautiful and especially that big octopus on the wall ..
Bikram’s
Yea, they have an exhaustive collection.
Destination Infinity
Interesting to note they were displayed along with the specific names of shells. Love the way shells of different kinds arranged from smaller to bigger. I have seen this museum but haven’t visited yet and now desire to go there. Hope they made ramps for wheelchair!
Btw. I’m surprised by your new theme and for a second I wondered have I entered a travel website! Looks professional 🙂
Oh thanks for your nice words about the new theme. Do go sometime, there is only three steps just before the entrance of the buildings but I think someone will help to get inside. Otherwise, it’s wheelchair friendly.
Destination Infinity
Now, I must visit this place…I didn’t know about this. So many beautiful conches!
Yes, surprisingly very less people know about this. I too came to know very recently. Need to take another trip to Mahabs to see what new things have come up since 🙂
Destination Infinity
Wow I came to your blog after some days and the whole design is different. Looks great DI!
Coming to the post, I must visit that shell museum. Very nice pics.
Thanks for your feedback on the new design. Do let me know some tips for improvement.
Destination Infinity
Sea shell museum looks really nice & this is a great way to educate specially the kids about Marine life. But i am not in favor of selling sea shells as souvenirs. If you find the shells washed ashore after a storm and collecting them that way would be ok, but raking the deep waters of these beautiful shells is taking away a home for numerous sand dwellers that are always on the lookout for shells to hide & call it their “home”.