Quick answer: Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House is the house at 105 Vivekananda Road in north Kolkata where Vivekananda, then Narendranath Datta, was born on 12 January 1863. The Ramakrishna Mission restored it and opened it in 2004 as a museum and cultural centre, with exhibits on his life, a memorial shrine, a library and educational and welfare work. As of October 2026, the centre’s website lists museum hours of 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm from October to March (to 5:30 pm from April to September), closed on Mondays. It does not publish an entry fee, so check at the gate.
Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House at a glance
| Detail | What we verified (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Address | 105 Vivekananda Road, Kolkata 700006 |
| Run by | Ramakrishna Mission (a branch centre of Belur Math) |
| Opened as a cultural centre | 2004 |
| Museum hours, October to March | 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm (centre’s website) |
| Museum hours, April to September | 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 5:30 pm (centre’s website) |
| Closed on | Mondays (centre’s website) |
| Entry fee | Not published online; check at the gate |
| Phone | 033 2257 0213 or 70442 42941 |
An earlier version of this article gave an entry fee of ₹5 and an afternoon session of exactly three hours from 2 pm. The centre’s website now shows the seasonal hours above and does not list a fee, so the old fee has been removed.
History of the house
Swami Vivekananda was born Narendranath Datta in this house on 12 January 1863, into a well-off family; his father, Vishwanath Datta, was a lawyer. Narendranath grew up here before becoming a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and later founding the Ramakrishna Mission.
After his father died in 1884, an aunt who lived in the house claimed it and sued his mother, Bhuvaneswari Devi, and her family. Vivekananda won in the lower court, but the case went through the higher courts for years and was settled in his favour only days before his death in 1902.
The Ramakrishna Mission decided in 1962 to acquire the house and turn it into a memorial, but the property, by then in a poor state, was acquired only in May 1999, together with an adjacent plot, through the Government of West Bengal. After a major restoration, the Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House and Cultural Centre opened in 2004. It was inaugurated on 26 September 2004 by the then President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Correction: an earlier version of this article said the Ramakrishna Mission took over the house in 1962 and turned it into a museum. The Mission decided to acquire it in 1962, but it acquired the property only in 1999 and opened the museum in 2004.
What to see
The centre’s website lists these places to see on the premises:
- Swami Vivekananda’s birthplace, the room where he was born.
- The room of Swamiji’s mother, Bhuvaneswari Devi.
- The museum, with a photo gallery and an art gallery on his life.
- A 3D film on Swami Vivekananda.
- The Saptarishi Mandal vision exhibit.
- The Vireshwar Shiva temple and the Sri Sri Jagaddhatri Mandap.
- A book stall at the museum.
The exhibits follow his life from childhood to his years as a monk. The earlier version of this article described a clock stopped at the time of his birth, clay models of episodes from his life and personal items linked to his interest in boxing, riding and fencing. We could not confirm the current exhibits in detail, so look out for them when you visit.
The cultural centre’s activities
According to Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, the centre runs:
- a language school teaching English, German, French, Spanish, Sanskrit, Bengali and Hindi;
- a computer education centre and short courses, including a yoga certificate course;
- coaching centres for students, two of them on the premises;
- a library, youth forums and value-education classes;
- a charitable dispensary with physiotherapy and yoga departments, and blood donation camps;
- a memorial shrine with two small meditation halls;
- welfare work such as ration kits, clothing and educational help; and
- National Youth Day celebrations on Vivekananda’s birthday, 12 January.
The earlier version said the library holds about 6,572 books. We could not confirm that figure, so it has been removed.
How to reach the Ancestral House
- By metro: Girish Park station on the Blue Line is the usual stop; the house is on Vivekananda Road, a short walk from the Girish Park crossing. Check the walking route on a map app.
- By bus: buses running along Central Avenue (Chittaranjan Avenue) stop at Girish Park.
- By rail: from Howrah or Sealdah stations, take a taxi or the metro.
- By taxi or app cab: use the full address, 105 Vivekananda Road, Kolkata 700006.
Tips for visiting
- Plan around the midday break from 12:30 pm to 2 pm and the Monday closure.
- This is a place of worship as well as a museum, so dress modestly and keep your voice low.
- Ask at the entrance about photography before you take pictures inside.
- Expect large crowds on 12 January, Vivekananda’s birthday.
Places to visit nearby
The Kolkata Police Museum, in a house that once belonged to Raja Rammohan Roy, is in the same part of north Kolkata. In central Kolkata you can also see Raj Bhavan and Millennium Park on the riverfront. For another spiritual site, visit ISKCON’s Radha Govinda temple on Albert Road.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Swami Vivekananda born?
In his family home at 105 Vivekananda Road, north Kolkata, on 12 January 1863. The house is now the Ramakrishna Mission’s Ancestral House and Cultural Centre.
What are the timings of Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House?
As of October 2026, the museum is open from 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm from October to March, and until 5:30 pm from April to September. It is closed on Mondays.
Who inaugurated Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House?
President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated the restored house and cultural centre on 26 September 2004.
Which metro station is nearest?
Girish Park on the Blue Line of the Kolkata Metro.
Details checked in October 2026 against the centre’s website (vivekanandahome.org), Belur Math’s branch-centre page and published histories of the house. Confirm timings and any entry charges with the centre before visiting.
