Landmark · Bikaner

Lalgarh Palace

In 60 seconds

Lalgarh is the twentieth-century palace of Bikaner, Rajasthan, India — built between 1902 and 1926 for Maharaja Ganga Singh to Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob's Indo-Saracenic design, in red Thar sandstone. The Shri Sadul Museum occupies the west wing and holds what is described as the fourth largest private library in the world. It opens 10:00–17:00 on weekdays and closes Sunday.

Fees & timings

CHECKED AGAINST OFFICIAL SOURCES · AUGUST 2026

Museum hours	10:00 – 17:00 weekdays · closed Sunday
Museum entry	Nominal — verify at the counter
Built	1902–1926, architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob
Built for	Maharaja Ganga Singh, commissioned during his minority
The library	Described as the fourth largest private library in the world
Laxmi Niwas	Not a separate palace — it is Lalgarh's first phase, finished 1902, now run as a hotel

Spot a change on the ground? Tell us — we fix it in days.

Ganga Singh reigned 1888–1943 — not 1887, which is the date most sources print. He signed the Treaty of Versailles as the only Indian among its signatories; the British Secretary of State for India signed alongside him, which is why 'the only signatory for India' is wrong and 'the only Indian signatory' is right.

One palace, two names, endless confusion

Laxmi Niwas is routinely described as a separate palace with its own architect and date. It is not: it is the first phase of Lalgarh, completed in 1902, which was later leased out and run as a hotel under its own name. A Bikaner local will correct you on this immediately, and they will be right.

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