Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai Entry Fee
- 20 per person for Adults
- 10 per person for Children
- 5 per person for kids on a school group trip
- 20 per person for 4D VR experience
Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai Phone
044 2844 6188
Rating: 
| 4/5 stars
Based on total 52 reviews
Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai Address: Vivekananda House(Ice House), Kamarajar Salai, Triplicane, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600005, India
Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai Tour Packages
Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai Timings
| Day | Timing |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed / Holiday |
| Tuesday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
| Wedesday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
| Sunday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm 3:00 pm – 7:15 pm |
Vivekanandar Illam (or Vivekananda House) is an important landmark in Chennai. associated with the spread of Ramakrishna Movement in South India. It is where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days, in 1897, after his return from the west.
Sri Ramakrishna Math’s Chennai branch functioned here from 1897 to 1906. And today, that spiritual organisation runs this historic place as the Experience Vivekananda Museum. The museum has exhibits related to Indian culture and various aspects of the life of Swami Vivekananda.
Vivekanandar Illam Museum is like a pilgrimage centre for the followers of Swamiji. Through picture galleries, AR and VR, it helps you know more about him and his mission. It is also a great place to find some peaceful moments amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.
History of Vivekanandar Illam
Vivekanandar Illam was built by the British to store ice. It was, later, sold to Biligiri Iyengar, an advocate. He remodelled the Ice House to be his residence and renamed it Castle Kernan. And when Swamiji visited Madras in 1897, he asked him to stay here.
Swami Vivekananda stayed in that “Ice House” for nine days. When he was about to depart, he agreed to set up a permanent centre here. So, Swami Ramakrishna (a fellow disciple) established the spiritual organisation Ramakrishna Math Chennai, here.
In 1906, the building was purchased by a zamindar. Then, in 1917, the Government of Madras acquired Vivekananda Ice House Chennai. They set up a training school for women and a hostel for widows.
In 1963, during the Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda, the Government of Tamil Nadu renamed the building as Vivekanandar Illam (Illam means house in Tamil). The Vivekananda House in Chennai is still owned by the government. But it’s managed and maintained by Ramakrishna Math Chennai.
Things to do at Vivekananda House
1. Exploring the picture galleries – Swami Vivekananda House Chennai has art galleries showcasing the rich cultural heritage of India. The galleries also display interesting incidents from his childhood, his wandering days and other events.
2. Visiting the Meditation Room – The Meditation Room is a peaceful and sacred room on the second floor of Vivekanandar Illam. It is where Vivekananda stayed after his return from America in 1897.
3. Watching 4D VR movie – Vivekananda House in Chennai also plays a small VR movie – Tears of Vivekananda. In this immersive experience, you can see his days of wandering in India and listen to his famous speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions. Two 3D movies: Parliament of Religions and Mind your Mind also run here.
4. Getting into the AR experience – The Museum also provides a full-fledged Ask Vivekananda AR experience. Visitors can ask questions from a list, and Swami Vivekananda answers them, as if he’s live on the screen.
5. Roaming around in the park – Vivekananda House Chennai also has a park with exhibits containing messages and teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
Image Gallery of Vivekanandar Illam Museum Chennai
Vivekananda House Timings and Entry Fee
Vivekanandar Illam Museum is open on all days of the week except Mondays. The visit timings are from 10 AM to 12.30 PM & from 3 PM to 7.15 PM.
The entry fee for Vivekananda House Chennai is ₹20 for adults and ₹10 for kids (age 3-12 years). For kids on a school group trip, the ticket price is ₹5 per kid. The 4D VR experience is priced separately, at ₹20 per person.
Photography/videography with camera phones is allowed for no extra charge, but only for non-commercial purposes.
How to reach Vivekananda House in Chennai?
Vivekananda House is near Marina Beach of Chennai. And it’s easily accessible from all parts of the city. The museum is about 6 km away from Chennai Central railway station and 13 km away from Koyambedu bus terminus. From the airport, it’s around 17 km away.
Now, following are the different ways to reach Vivekananda House in Chennai –
By metro – Light House MRTS is the closest to Vivekanandar Illam Museum, only a few hundred metres away. From the station, you can hire a taxi/auto to the museum.
By bus – Public buses are also available to the museum. Vivekananda House bus stop is only a 100 metre away from the museum.
By taxi/cab – Booking a taxi from top car rental companies in Chennai is the best way to visit Vivekanandar Illam. You can book a full-day cab and explore the museum and other places around.
Book a Chennai Tour package from Chennai Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA to explore the city to the fullest. We offer these packages at best rates and we make sure you visit all the popular sightseeing places of Chennai during your stay here. You can also ask for customisation of these packages to suit your interests. Please fill the Contact Us form to get in touch with us.
