Delhi has been the capital of several ancient Indian empires and a major city along the old trade routes between northwest India and the Indo-Gangetic Plains. It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains.

After the British Raj took control of India during the 19th century, Calcutta became the capital until George V announced in 1911 that it was to move back to Delhi. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built during the 1920s. When India gained independence from British rule in 1947, New Delhi was declared its capital and seat of government. As such, New Delhi houses important offices of the federal government, including the Parliament of India.

Delhi is located at 28°61'N, 77°23'E, and lies in northern India. It borders the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh on East and Haryana on West, North and South. Delhi lies almost entirely in the Gangetic plains. Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plain and the Delhi ridge.

Delhi has a semi-arid climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. Summers are long, from early April to October, with the monsoon season in between.

Winter starts in October and peaks in January and is notorious for its heavy fog.

National Museum
This large museum located at Janpath offers a wide array of exhibits depicting the five thousand years of Indian history. The exhibits in different galleries are arranged according to different periods in Indian history. Some of the exhibit in this museum include that of the Dancing Girl from Mohenjodaro (2,500 BC) and many paintings and manuscripts from Moghul period. Open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Monday closed.

National Science Centre Museum
This museum designed for kids, has a large collection of working science models to educate children about the scientific facts and how things work. A trip to this museum can be both an educational and recreational experience for the youth and young children. Open from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Near Gate No.2 Pragati Maidan; Tel: 2337-1893.

Nehru Museum and Planetarium
Located at the Teen Murti House, former residence of the first Prime Minister of India Late Jawaharlal Nehru, this museum covers the history of the Independence Movement of India. The planetarium shows short films dedicated to Nehru at 11:30 and 3:00 pm in English and 1:30 and 4:00 pm in Hindi. Closed Mondays. Tel: 2301-4504.

National Rail Museum
This museum which displays various models of train engines and coaches including a model of India's very first train, a steam engine that made its journey from Mumbai to Thane in 1853 should be a treat for those National Rail Museum should be a treat for those who love locomotives. This museum which covers the 150-yr old history of railways in India is sprawled over 10 acres. One of its highlight is the well-preserved locomotive Fairy Queen which was built in 1855.

Shankar’s Doll Museum
This museum houses about 6,000 dolls from over 85 countries, a third of which are from different parts of India. These dolls are dressed up in beautiful and dazzling costumes from different countries and they provide a superb means to learn about different people as well as their cultures from around the world. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. everyday. closed on Monday.

National Musesum of Natural History
This small museum provides a good place to learn about the varied flora and fauna of India. The museum has a Bio-Science Computer Room, an Activity Room and a Mobile Museum.The museum has a large dinosaur statue in front of its gates There is a daily film show at the museum between 11.30 am to 3.30 pm and regular lectures and exhibitions are also organized from time to time. Iit is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The museum remains closed on Saturday Tel: 2331 4849.