Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly Prince of Wales Museum of Western India is the main museum in Mumbai. It was founded in the early years of the 20th century by prominent citizens of Bombay, with the help of the government, to commemorate the visit of the then prince of Wales. It is located in the heart of South Mumbai near the Gateway of India. The museum was renamed after Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire. The Museum has a representative collection of various forms of art from India and to a certain extent, Far-Eastern art, Nepal and Tibet. The Natural History section is a major attraction for children. Ancient Indian art is represented by the Stone Sculpture gallery with sculptures from Elephanta and other important sites especially from Western India. The Indian Miniature Painting collection represents one of the best collections of miniatures in the country. The Museum also has a magnificent collection of Decorative Art objects in jade, wood, ivory, metal and textiles. The Nepalese and Tibetan artefacts are ascribed to important religious and artistic phases of these regions. The Numismatic collection, acquired from various well-known hoards and also from individual collections, covers an entire range of important issues. The Museum houses an interesting collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain, metal and ivory objects and embroidery. European oil paintings and Indian arms and armour also form an important part of the collection. The Museum collection comprises purchased artefacts as well as gifts by generous donors like Sir Ratan Tata and Sir Dorabji Tata. The major section of the European and Far-Eastern art and also representative examples of Indian art belong to this collection. The priceless artefacts from the Buddhist site of Mirpurkhas, excavated by renowned archaeologist Henry Cousens in 1909 are an important part of the Museum collection. Seth Purushottam Mavji’s collection of antiquities and miniatures along with a multitude of other collections such as those of Sir Akbar Hydari, and Karl and Meherbai Khandalavala as well as antiquities acquired from the Archaeological Survey of India have contributed towards the grand collection of the Museum.
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