Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) is better known by its old name Prince of Wales Museum. The iconic structure, built in Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, is one of the important heritage structures of Mumbai. The museum houses an interesting collection of artefacts. The sculpture gallery has an extensive collection of ancient Indian art with focus on sculptures from the western region, including those found in and around Mumbai. The miniature painting gallery has one of the finest collections in the world and its highlights include a set of paintings depicting an Arabic version of the Panchatantra and a set of Ramayana paintings from the 17th century. The museum also houses a huge collection of decorative art, coins, arms and armour etc. In addition, there is one section that is quite popular among kids—natural history section—which has an impressive collection of stuffed animals and plaster-cast models.

One of the best things about the museum is the constant effort taken to stay updated with changing times. There are regular special exhibitions held here that display artefacts from across the globe. The British Museum Mummy and the Chinese Terracotta Army exhibitions have been big hits, and the museum continues to hold such exhibitions at regular intervals. They also focus on children, and succeed in capturing their attention by conducting easy but interesting activities for them. Museum Kids’ club is the most recent addition, which has drawn more kids as well as parents to the museum. Note: The museum is open on all days, except January 26, May 1, August 15, October 2 and public holidays falling on Mondays.