Information and Cultural Affairs Department

Directorate Of Archaeology And Museums

The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums has been looking after ancient and historical monuments as well as conducts excavation works regularly to unearth archaeological sites and remains either by itself or encouraging educational institutions of repute to explore these objectives

Apart from State Archaeological Museum in Kolkata this Directorate has six District level museums where invaluable antiquities are well preserved and displayed to the common men.

This Directorate publishes books regularly and has had its own publication namely “Purabritya”.

Addl. Secretary & E.O. Director of Archeology

Amlanjyoti Saha, WBCS, (Exe)

Address: Room No - 908, Nabanna (9th Floor), 325 Sarat Chatterjee Road , Shibpur, Howrah -711102


1) Archaeological Infrastructure:

Archeological Excavation: Major archaeological Excavation of ancient Buddhist Site at Moghalmari, Paschim Medinipur and at Garh Mandaran, Goghat, Hooghly has been taken up.

2) Restoration and Conservation:

a) Identification and Declaration of Heritage Buildings & State Protected Monuments etc.:

As many as 228 buildings have been declared as Heritage Buildings until 2021-22. Persistent endeavor is being made for further identification of Heritage Buildings. Apart from that 110 sites have been declared as State Protected Monument. Recently, Rani Shiromoni Garh, Shalboni, Paschim Medinipur and Gumghar, Bankura has been declared as State Protected Monuments.

b) Restoration & Conservation of State Protected Monuments, Heritage Buildings & State Archaeological Museum:

  • West Bengal Heritage Commission with the technical support from PWD, has completed the work of renovation of the birth Place of Vidyasagar at Birsingha village and the preservation of the hostel building at Birsingha.
  • Conservation and Restoration of Gope Palace, Medinipur, Buddhist Monastery, Jagjibanpur Malda, Sculpture Shed Suissa, Baghmundi, Purulia, Ruined Mosque, Bajua, Santoshpur, Goghat, Hooghly are almost complete.
  •  Major Archaeological Excavation works in different areas have been made, like Buddhist Site at Moghalmari, Dantan, Paschim Medinipur and at Garh Mandaran, Goghat, Hooghly.
  • The State Archaeological Museum has been upgraded with KIOSK, beautification, Security enhancement etc. during this period and a number of new collection have been made.
  • Conservation and Restoration projects like Badshahi Mosque at Natunhaat, Mongalkot, Purba Bardhaman and Wooden Mast of Bandel Church, Hooghly have been completed.
  • Conservation & Restoration of following projects: Buddhist Monastery at Jagjibanpur, Malda. Phase I completed and Phase II started, Durga Temple at Bali Dewanganj Goghat, Hooghly, Ruined Mosque at Bajua Santoshpur, Goghat, Hooghly and Sculpture shed at Suissa, Bagmundi, Purulia have been completed.
  • Restoration work of Henry Martyn’s Pagoda, Serampore, Hooghly and Buddhist site at Moghalmari, Paschim Medinipur are among the notable efforts.
  • For the protection and preservation of the historical relics and artifacts discovered at Chandraketugarh in North 24 Parganas, a modern museum has been set up by Tourism Department, which is being taken over by I& CA Department.
  • Restoration of Buxaduar Fort Phase I completed and Phase II work started.

3) West Bengal Heritage Commission:

The West Bengal Heritage Commission has declared 244 buildings, monuments, precincts and sites as heritage till 2022 and also declared Coochbehar & Nabadwip towns as places of heritage buildings/temples/sites/precincts etc. where 154 sites in Coochbehar and 105 sites in Nabadwip have been identified as heritage.

Different projects viz, renovation and rejuvenation of identified tanks/water bodies, laying of underground power cables for the core zone, drainage/sewerage and solid waste management, improvement of street lighting with LED lights, traffic management, suitable for an ideal heritage town and fixing up of blue plaques to the heritage properties, erection of iconic heritage gates at Nabadwip town and Coochbehar town are being implemented by different departments of the Government.

The Commission has the following ongoing projects of restoration & conservation being executed by P.W.D:

  • Restoration & Conservation of Katherin Graham Memorial Chapel, Kalimpong. The project is expected to be completed in December 2023.
  • Restoration & conservation of temples/ monuments (9 sites) at Garh Panchokot, Purulia. The project is expected completion by September 2023,
  • Restoration & conservation of Grace Cottage, Krishnanagar. The project is to be completed by March 2023.
  • Restoration of Gouripur House, Kalimpong. After completion of tendering process, work order is going to be issued by P.W.D.

Notable Archaeological publications:

Those are released this year includes the 2nd volume of Directorate of Archaeology and Museums’ annual journal, ‘Puravritta 2’ and bulletin of the said Directorate.

Directorate Of Archaeology And Museums Institution/Academy

Name of the Offices under Directorate Of Archaeology And Museums:

Office Name Officers Name Designation E-mail ID Contact No. Address
Director of Archaeology , Deptt. of I&CA Shri Amlanjyoti Saha, WBCS (Exe.) Addl. Secretary & e.o. Director Archeology [email protected] (033) 2445-0083/ 2445-0037/ 1, Satyen Roy Road, P.O.- Behala, Kolkata- 700034
West Bengal Heritage Commission
  • Shri Amlanjyoti Saha, WBCS (Exe.)
  • Shri Kajal Bhattacharya, WBICS
  • Secretary, West Bengal Heritage Commission
  • Joint Director-in-Charge, West Bengal Heritage Commission
[email protected] (033) 2445-0083/ 2445-0037/ (033) 2445-0083/ 2445-0037 1, Satyen Roy Road, P.O.- Behala, Kolkata- 700034
CASTEI
  • Shri Sekhar Banerjee,WBICS
  • Shri Rajarshi Moitra, WBICS
  • Member Secretary-in-Charge, CASTEI
  • Administrative Officer-in-Charge, CASTEI
[email protected]  (033) 2397-0260 (033) 2396-0145 1, Satyen Roy Road, P.O.- Behala, Kolkata- 700034