The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established in the year 1784 by Sir William Jones. The Indian Museum was established in the Asiatic Society Building in the year 1814 by Dr Nathaniel Wallich, a famous botanist from Denmark. In the year 1840, the Government expanded the geology and minerals section and an additional grant of INR 250 per month was provided for the geology section alone.It was in the year 1875 that the museum was shifted to the present building. However, the museum was open to the public in the year 1878 housing over sixty galleries. The year 1879 saw the Indian Museum receiving a collection from the Indian Museum (South Kensington). One of the biggest contributions of the Museum was perhaps when the Zoological and Anthropological sections of the museum gave rise to the Zoological Survey of India in 1916, which in turn gave rise to the Anthropological Survey of India in 1945.In addition to being the safehouse for many priceless relics, the Indian Museum has also served various other roles and services. The Government College of Art and Craft founded in the year 1854 operated from the southern wing of the museum, which moved to the premises in the year 1892.