Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Museum of Indian history and culture in Fort district, Mumbai, India
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is a museum of Indian history and culture in the Fort district of Mumbai. The building rises with its central dome and broad steps above a garden, while galleries inside are organized by periods and themes.
The museum opened in 1922 as the Prince of Wales Museum during the British heir's visit to the city. It received its current name in 1998 to honor the 17th-century Maratha ruler.
The name honors the founder of the Maratha Empire, whose legacy remains central to local identity. Visitors encounter miniature paintings from Mughal courts, textiles, and sculptures that demonstrate centuries of artistic traditions across the subcontinent.
The museum stands on a three-acre plot near the Gateway of India in South Mumbai, with the Regal Cinema and the Police Commissioner's office in front and the David Sassoon Library beside it. The building has three storeys plus a dome storey at the centre, and the 2008 modernisation added 30,000 sq ft in the East Wing for five galleries, a conservation studio, a visiting exhibition gallery and a seminar room.
The dome was modelled by architect George Wittet on that of Golconda Fort, and the inner vaulting arches on those at the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur. The interior combines the columns, railings and balcony of an 18th-century Maratha wada with Jain-style columns below the balcony.
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