For a Visakhapatnam outing focused on the seafront, the INS Kurusura Submarine Museum puts a decommissioned Indian Navy submarine at the centre of a visit to R.K. Beach Road. Inside, you can explore submarine rooms, equipment and historical material.
- Location: R.K. Beach Road, Kirlampudi Layout, Visakhapatnam
- Hours: 2:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.; closed Monday
- Admission: ₹40 per adult; child admission differs between sources
What the submarine museum is
The museum preserves INS Kurusura, a real submarine that served in the Indian Navy before becoming a beachside museum. It entered service on 18 December 1969 and was decommissioned on 28 February 2001, after 31 years of service.
Established in 2002, the museum is described by VMRDA as the first submarine museum in South-East Asia. It was inaugurated on 9 August 2002 and opened to the public on 24 August. The submarine was transferred to the beach with its fittings and weaponry, then placed on a concrete foundation.
Inside, exhibits include the sonar room, radar room and control room, alongside weapons, artefacts, photographs and historical documents. VMRDA says guides appointed to educate visitors are former Navy personnel.
Checking hours, tickets and visitor rules
The Government of India museum directory gives visiting hours as 2:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. and adult admission as ₹40; it lists child admission at ₹10. Incredible India gives the same hours and adult price, but its child admission price is ₹20. Check the official site before you go, particularly for current hours and admission.
Plan around the afternoon opening, and allow time to move through the submarine’s rooms and displays. Before your visit, confirm any rules about bags, photography and children’s entry, along with accessibility provisions.
How do you get to the museum from central Visakhapatnam?
The museum is on R.K. Beach Road, in the Kirlampudi Layout area of Visakhapatnam. The Government of India museum directory gives the full address as R.K. Beach Road, Kirlampudi Layout, Chinna Waltair, Pandurangapuram, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530017.
From Hotel Diamonds Pearl, the museum is about a 16-minute drive. You can pair the visit with the RK Beach waterfront; the district tourism page places the museum 5 km from both Visakhapatnam Railway Station and the RTC complex, and 18 km from Visakhapatnam International Airport. Hotel Diamonds Pearl is a place to stay in Visakhapatnam.
Combining the visit with the Beach Road waterfront
The submarine museum sits on RK Beach, making the waterfront an easy pairing for the same outing. Its setting on Beach Road is part of the visit: the submarine stands on a permanent concrete foundation beside the beach. The Ramakrishna Beach promenade guide covers the shoreline along this stretch.
The submarine was transferred to the beach with its weaponry and fittings and permanently stationed on Beach Road.
The TU-142 Aircraft Museum is another Visakhapatnam seafront landmark, and the guide to the TU-142 Aircraft Museum covers a separate museum stop.
FAQs
What is inside the INS Kurusura Submarine Museum?
The exhibits include submarine rooms such as the sonar, radar and control rooms, as well as weapons, artefacts, photographs and historical documents.
Is the submarine a real vessel?
Yes. INS Kurusura served in the Indian Navy and was decommissioned in 2001 before being preserved as a museum.
Where is the museum located?
It is on R.K. Beach Road in Visakhapatnam, in the Kirlampudi Layout area.