Anthropological Survey of India opened its first Regional Centre at Port Blair in December 1951 as Andaman & Nicobar Regional Station (which was renamed Regional Office in 1959 and Regional Centre in 1989). This Regional station was first housed at Cellular Jail and then shifted to the private building at Phoenix Bay and Supply Line of Aberdeen Bazar. In 2004, the set up of this Regional Centre finally shifted to its permanent site of present location. The visionary former director Dr. B.S. Guha actually felt the need of opening this regional centre at Andaman Islands as it is the craddle land of world famous Hunter-Gatherer/foraging communities like Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, Sentenelese, Shompen & Nicobarese. Since its inception the leadership of Dr. B.S. Guha, the regional station was headed by many eminent Anthropologist like Shri B.K. Chatterjee, Dr. Lidio Cipriani, Shri N.K. Shyamchandra, Shri V.K. Kocha and many more. The anthropologist of this regional centre, completed various national and collaborative anthropological studies on the different domains of Anthropology i.e. Physical, Cultural, Linguistic, Ecological etc. according to the national importance. However, the Zonal Anthropological Museum of this regional centre canvases the vibrant cultural attributes of the tribal and non tribal population resides over these emerald archipelagoes.

 Dr. B.S. Guha, the founder Director of Anthropological Survey of India, first visited the Andaman Island in 1948 along with Dr. S.S. Sarkar. On the advise of the Chief Commissioner to send a small party for a preliminary survey Dr. Guha embarked for the Port Blair with Dr. Sarkar- a Class I officer and three other scientific assistants on February 17, 1948. The research team stayed in the island till April 15 i.e. a period of one month and 23 days. During this time they visited different Onge settlement of South Bay and Dugong Creeks of Little Andaman Islands, they made some observations on the Onge in Little Andaman Islands and the Great Andamanese. In January 1949, a second party consisting of three officers of the Department of Anthropology was sent to the Island to take anthropometric measurements on the Onge and for collecting other data of the tribes inhabiting the island. This party was also of the opinion, nothing could be done to improve the conditions to the aboriginals unless a substation of the department was established at Port Blair.

Dr. Guha wrote a letter to Mr. Phillips (the then Under Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi) on 3rd June, 1950 regarding the establishment of substation of this department in the Andaman Island for systematic studies of the aboriginal tribes primarily with the objective of helping the Government in its administration.

Dr. Guha discussed the matter of establishment of sub station of this department at Port Blair with Mr. K.K Ghosh, Chief Commisioner on 29 September, 1950. He explained to him with the difficulties of having a sub station at Ross Island as he had suggested owing to the absence to regular means of transport with Port Blair. Mr. Ghosh agreed and after considering the various places shown by predecessor Mr. Mazid as possible for the substation. Mr. Mazid suggested that the old jail building a great part of which was dismantled would seem to him to be a suitable place for the substation after slight alteration and modification. This would not only provide an ample room but would be an ideal place for the purpose museum as it is situated on the sea front in the main island and is easily accessible from all parts of the town. Thus the first regional centre of the Anthropological Survey of India in the cellular jail of Port Blair town in 1951. The Anthropological Survey of India which was established in 1955 opened its first station at Port Bliar in 1951 as Andaman Nicobar Regional Centre (which was renamed as Regional office in 1979 and regional centre in 1989). Thus, the Regional station was established, housed in Cellular Jail . This was the first regional station/centre of the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI). This Regional Office celebrated its silver jubilee in Apri;l 1978 (late by about a year) and has now completed over almost 70 years of its existence here. The AnSI scientists have in this period published over 400 research papers and about thirty books on this areas, covering mostly the tribal communities including other population in both the Andaman and Nicobar Islands., with regard to their social and cultural anthropology, applied anthropology, pre-history , human ecology and linguistics, etc.  Besides, the AnSI established a very useful library in Anthropology and allied fields and a popular Zonal Anthropological Museum (ZAM) at Port Blair.  

Ref:  Text retrieved from Museums of Anthropological Survey of India.