Museums in Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, one of the largest museums of Mumbai was earlier known by the name Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. The museum was inaugurated in the year 1922 by Lady Lloyd, the wife of George Lloyd, Governor of Bombay. The museum is a perfect blend of the British and European architecture that captivates the attention of the visitors.

The museum has a very rich collection of ancient artifacts of Indian history and foreign countries like Europe, China, Japan, Nepal, Tibet and Southeast Asia. From the souvenirs of the Indus Valley Civilization, paintings, Jharokhas (windows) of Rajputs to the age-old relics of other countries like Tibet and Nepal, the museum depicts the bygone era of Mumbai. The exhibition is held in three galleries of the museum, which are art, archaeology and natural history. The balconies and floors of the museum showcase the beautiful art work of the Mughals.

Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum

It is one of the popular attractions among the tourists because whenever Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation, visited Mumbai (mainly during the period between 1917 to 1934); he used to stay in this place. It has now been transformed into a two story building museum and research center. The importance of the place can be gauged out from the fact that various important freedom movements like Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation, Swadeshi; etc were started from this place. The museum has over 50,000 books and photographs that showcase the various facets of Gandhiji's life. There is also an auditorium where the film on Gandhiji is shown to the visitors. The place is a must visit to get a great insight about the philosophy and teachings of Gandhiji.

National Gallery of Modern Art

This museum was established in 1954 and displays magnificent modern art of India and many other foreign countries. The gallery was thrown open for the public in 1996. The stunning sculptures of many well known artists like Debiprasad Roy Chowdhury, Balbir Singh Katt, Dhanraj Bhagat and many more are showcased here. The visitors can also find the popular painting of the famous painter M.F. Hussain, 'Zameen' here. The main objective of the museum is to conserve the contemporary art from the year 1850 onwards. The museum also has a well stocked library that contains many ancient books, pictures and audio visual materials. The popular attractions of the museum are the mummies and statues that have been brought from Egypt. All in all, the museum is nothing less than a paradise for the art lovers.

Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum is one of the oldest museums of Mumbai. It was formerly called the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum was established in the year 1855 during the pre-independence era but was later renamed in 1975 as Dr. Bhau Daji Lad (an Indian physician) Mumbai City Museum. The main motive behind setting up of the museum is to educate the visitors about the history, traditions, heritage, and decorative arts of the city during the period of British rule. The museum also has an excellent collection of magnificent clay models and dioramas that showcase the life of the people in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The idol of the huge elephant that was bought from the Elephant Caves is one of the popular attractions among the visitors.