Ballard Bunder Gatehouse, Maritime museum in Ballard Estate, Mumbai, India.
The Ballard Bunder Gatehouse is a heritage building featuring three stone arches that now functions as a maritime museum. Inside, you'll find scale models of vessels, navigation equipment, and historical photographs that show how Mumbai connected with the world through its harbor.
Architect George Wittet designed this gatehouse in 1920 as the harbor underwent major changes and realignment. It stands at the location where Ballard Pier once operated as a working loading point.
The name honors the Ballard family who shaped the harbor's development in earlier times. Visitors can see how the city has integrated its seafaring past into the memory of this working waterfront.
The museum is free to enter and can be visited through guided walks that explore the naval dockyard area on designated dates. Wearing comfortable shoes helps as you walk through both the building and its surroundings, and getting here by public transport works well.
Rather than focusing only on ships, the museum displays objects and stories from many occupations that shaped Mumbai's past, including craftspeople and factory workers. These exhibits reveal the everyday lives of ordinary people who built the city and kept its commerce moving.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
