Light House Museum – Mammallapuram, Chennai

The light house museum is situated in the historic site of Mammallapuram, 60 kms away from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The museum had been set up by the Directorate General of lighthouses and lightships (DGLL).

The museum houses models of different kinds of ships, fishing boats and defence vessels, medicine box and crockery with departmental emblem supplied to light-keepers to use in different lighthouses. Another space is dedicated to a replica of a drivers cabin, created to give the visitors a feel of  the cabin with various equipments and its control. Every item has been captioned properly and the passage inside the museum makes sure you do not miss any of the object from viewing.

In the outer lawn of the museum building installation of specimens of ships can be seen.

Some details from the collection:

Barometers: Lighthouses had the responsibility of recording and reporting weather conditions in 19th and 20th centuries when metrological stations were sparse. barometers were used to measure atmospheric pressure that helped forecasting rain, heavy wind or cyclone. (courtesy: Light house museum)

          

Capillary lamp: Capillary lamps were second generation lights after bonfires. Capillary action supplies the fuel to top of the wick for burning and thus called as capillary lamps. From 17th and 19th centuries different types of capillary lamps were used in lighthouses. Vegetable oils and at the later stage mineral oils were used in these lamps. (courtesy: Light house museum)

          

Lighting Apparatus: drum optics with 360º visibility spectrum were mainly used either in buoys or in small islands. dissolved acetylene gas flashers were used to light these apparatus, and at later stages, replaced with electronic flashers that worked on solar power. (courtesy: Light house museum)

Dome: Dome is the part of lantern house which makes top covering in a semi-circular shape. they are fabricated with copper sheets for its durability and life. (courtesy: Light house museum)