Goa, a state on India's West coast, is a former Portuguese colony with a rich history. It has a unique mix of Indian and Portuguese cultures and architecture that attracts an estimated 2.5 million visitors each year. Goa is visibly different from the rest of India, owing to Portuguese rule which isolated it from the rest of India for 451 years. Goa is a mixture of Hindus and Roman Catholics and Catholic churches and Hindu shrines. Goa has a surprisingly large number of scenic towns and villages each having a character of its own. Panaji is the state capital and Old Goa is the home of famed sixteenth century churches, convents and monuments. Goa has a more than its fair share of museums, art galleries and libraries. You will find many government run museums in Panaji, including the Goa State museum, the Kala Academy, the Central Library and the Goa Science Centre. In Vasco da Gama, you can find the Naval Aviation Museum, a great place to see vintage aircraft. Old Goa is a great place to see examples of Christian religious art, and sometimes, secular art. There you can find the Christian Art Museum and also a modern art gallery containing the works of surrealist Dom Martin. In Mormugao, you can find the Religious Museum of the Blessed Joseph Vaz. The Xavier Centre of Historical Research at Bardez also has a gallery on Christian Art. Goa also has a number of other smaller, charming and sometimes crowded towns such as those along the beach belt, like Calangute and Candolim.