Chennai, India

1. Arignar Anna Zoological Park-Vandalur Zoo

The Arignar Anna Zoological Park-Vandalur Zoo, also known as the Vandalur Zoo, is one of the largest zoological parks within the country of India, attracting thousands of guests to view the variety of animals that call the grounds home every day. The history of this zoo dates back to when it first opened as the Madras Zoo in the year 1855, established by conservationist Edward Balfour in the Government Museum complex as the country’s first public zoo. The Arignar Anna Zoological Park today boasts over 1,500 wild species of animals, including more than forty endangered species of reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Grand Southern Trunk Rd, Vandalur, Tamil Nadu 600048, Phone: +91-44-22-75-10-89

2. Government Museum, Egmore

One of the oldest and first public museums in India, the Government Museum, Egmore complex on Pantheon Road in Egmore has been one of the most famous educational and recreational attractions of Chennai for over 150 years. This interesting museum is perhaps known best for its extensive numismatics collection, as well as its artifacts associated with Tamil history. The Government Museum complex is also home to several other attractions frequently visited among travelers and locals alike, such as the Connemara Public Library, one of the country’s oldest libraries, and the Museum Theatre, one of the city’s most popular stage venues.

Pantheon Rd, Egmore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600008, Phone: +91-44-28-19-32-38

3. St. Mary's Church

St. Mary’s Church is well known for being India’s first Anglican church. Located within the boundaries of the Fort Saint George compound this historic church continues to be one of the city’s important Christian religious centers. Boasting an illustrious past, St. Mary’s Church was built by the British East India Company and was originally the fort’s only bomb-proof building when it was consecrated back in the year 1680. Situated at the church’s altar is a prized Last Supper painting, brought to the city from Pondicherry as “spoils of war.” The church also has a Bible dating back to 1660.

Rajaji Rd, Fort St George, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600009

4. Kapaleeswarar Temple

The Kapaleeswarar Temple in the Mylapore area of Chennai boasts a history going back around 1,300 years, making it one of the city’s oldest places of worship. In addition to being a historic religious landmark, the Kapaleeswarar Temple serves as an important cultural center and hosts many dance and classical music performances on a regular basis. There are several things to see in the temple and on the surrounding grounds. The area around the temple still maintains its traditional Agraharam architectural style, and there is also a large water tank on the temple complex property with a Gopuram facing it.

Kapaleesvarar Sannadhi St, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004, Phone: +91-44-24-64-16-70

5. Santhome Cathedral Basilica

Located in the Mylapore neighborhood of Chennai, the Santhome Cathedral Basilica is not only an important site for Christians in this South Indian city, but throughout the country and the world beyond as well. The basilica is thought to be one of just three basilicas anywhere in the world to be built over a tomb of one of the direct Apostles of Jesus Christ. Constructed by the Portuguese back in the year 1523 and becoming a cathedral later in 1606, the Santhome Cathedral Basilica features a neo-gothic architecture style and was raised to a “minor basilica” status in 1956.

38, Santhome High Rd, Dummingkuppam, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004

6. Madras Crocodile Bank Trust

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is one of the best known wildlife attractions in the city of Chennai, India, as well as a leading conservation and research agency that works in the fields of herpetology and reptile conservation. The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust features an exhibit area with over 2,400 species of reptiles, including over a dozen major species of alligators and crocodiles of the world. In fact, the grounds are boasted as the country’s largest sanctuary for crocodiles. The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust was started by Romulus and Zai Whitaker, two pioneering conservationists, in 1976.

Post Bag No 4, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104

7. Birla Planetarium

Located at the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Center, Chennai’s Birla Planetarium is one of India’s three major planetariums of its kind and is one of the city’s important educational sites. The planetarium is fully computerized and can accommodate over 200 people. Established in 1988, this iconic planetarium is home to a number of astronomical models, educational materials, and exhibits spread out across eight different galleries that cover a variety of science disciplines, such as transport, electronics, energy, and physics. The Birla Planetarium also features a spacious gallery for visitors that offers an interesting virtual experience of viewing the night sky.

Gandhi Mandapam Rd, Duraisamy Nagar, Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600025, Phone: +91-44-24-41-00-25

8. Theosophical Society

The Theosophical Society of Chennai is one of the oldest organizations in the city, boasting a continuing history dating back over one hundred years. The organization is possibly known best in Chennai, India for the sprawling campus of its international headquarters in Adyar. The grounds cut across the Adyar river estuary and are considered to be one of the city’s most well maintained green spaces. The campus of the Theosophical Society also serves as a spiritual and cultural center, hosting many events and talks throughout the year and home to a fully fledged library and historic Adyar banyan tree.

Blavatsky Avenue, 600020 Adyar

9. Anna Centenary Library

Completed in 2010, the Anna Centenary Library is one of the city’s newer complexes and is also one of the most modern and largest libraries in India. Home to more than 1.2 million books, volumes, and encyclopedias, the library is frequented by experts, locals, and students from all over the country. The Anna Centenary Library also features a number of state-of-the-art facilities for guests to take advantage of, including a section for children, an extensive braille collection, an internet center, and a digital library. There is a whole floor solely dedicated to Tamil language and regional books as well.

Gandhi Mandapam Rd, Surya Nagar, Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600085, Phone: +91-44-22-20-10-11

10. Heritage District

With a history dating back around four hundred years, the city of Chennai is one of the oldest colonial cities in the country of India. While the city as a whole has changed significantly following independence, a portion of Chennai, particularly the area near Poonamallee High Road and Fort St. George, still has a colonial charm to it with many British-era architectural marvels and landmarks that can be seen today. This region of the city has come to be known as the Heritage District. A few notable heritage structures in the Heritage District area include Victoria Public Hall and the Ripon Building.