This is Mumbai's great museum. Its official name since 1998 honours Shivaji, founder of the Maratha kingdom in the seventeenth century, although many locals still call it the Prince of Wales Museum.

1A prince and a war

On 11 November 1905 the Prince of Wales, the future George V, laid the foundation stone. In 1909 a competition chose the design of George Wittet, architect of the Gateway of India. The building was finished in 1915, in the middle of the First World War, and before it received a single exhibit it served as a military hospital and a children's welfare centre. The museum did not open until 10 January 1922.

2A dome with a story

Wittet blended Mughal, Maratha and Jain elements here. The dome is inspired by that of Golconda Fort, and the inner vaults by the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur. Inside are tens of thousands of objects: sculptures from the Elephanta caves, Mughal and Rajput miniatures, bronzes, arms and pieces from the Indus Valley. If you have time, allow at least two hours; check opening times on its website.

Notice the garden too. Mumbai is a noisy, hot city, and this corner of palm trees is one of the few places in the south to catch your breath before moving on.

A museum that was a hospital before it was a museum, and now holds the art of all India.

3What to look for

  • The white dome, inspired by Golconda.
  • The balconies and lattice screens of the facade.
  • The equestrian statue of Shivaji at the junction.

Documented

Foundation stone laid on 11 November 1905; designed by George Wittet; building completed in 1915 and used as a military hospital; museum opened on 10 January 1922 and renamed in 1998.

Sources and credits

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, history of the museum (csmvs.in); Maharashtra Tourism, museum page; Christopher London, 'Bombay Gothic' (2002).

Photos:

  • The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya museum with its white dome behind a garden: P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0.

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