Immediately north of the cathedral, the Birla Planetarium (daily 12.30-6.30pm; Rs15), one of the largest in the world and certainly the largest in Asia, holds several shows every day (in English 1.30pm & 6.30pm; in Bengali 3.30pm & 5.30pm; in Hindi 12.30pm, 2.30pm & 4.30pm).

 

South of the cathedral, the Academy of Fine Arts (Tues-Sun 3-8pm; Rs5) on Cathedral Road is a showcase for Bengali contemporary arts. As well as temporary exhibitions, it holds permanent displays of the work of artists such as Jamini Roy and Rabindranath Tagore. A café and pleasant grounds add to the appealing ambience. Rabindra Sadan, the large auditorium close by, regularly features programmes of Indian classical music and next door, Nadan , designed by Satyajit Ray, is a large and lively film centre with archives, library and auditoria.

Around the corner on Chowringhee, the small Nehru Children's Museum , 94/1 Chowringhee Rd (Tues-Sun noon-8pm; Rs10, under-12s Rs2), places a strong emphasis on the Hindu classics, illustrating the Ramayana and the Mahabharata with toys, puppets and picture shows.