Asiatic Society, established by Sir William Jones in 1784, is situated on the J L Nehru Road in
Kolkata. It is a center for Asian studies including almost everything concerning man and nature within the geographical limits of the continent. It houses a library and museum. Research and academic activities are also undertaken by the society.
It houses collections of portraits, sculptures, coins and paintings done by Rubens, Guido, Reynolds and others. Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and Hindi manuscripts are displayed in the manuscript section. The library inside the institution holds about 100,000 volumes. Entry is free of cost. Guide services are also available.
Visiting hours are from 12:00 hrs to 19:00 hrs on working days. On Saturdays it is open from 12:00 hrs to 15:30 hrs. Closed on Sundays.