The Government Museum in Pudukkottai is one of the more worthwhile district museums in Tamil Nadu, which is saying something in a state with a rich museum tradition. The collection centres on Chola bronzes recovered from temples and hoards across the Pudukkottai region — pieces that were never moved to the national collection in Chennai and so remain in their home district.
Beyond the bronzes, the museum has sections on stone sculpture (particularly Pallava and early Chola), numismatics, and natural history exhibits covering the region's geology and wildlife. A small gallery documents the history of the Pudukkottai princely state and the Tondaiman Rajas who maintained independence from the British until 1948. Opening hours are standard government museum times (typically 9am to 5pm, closed Fridays); admission is nominal.