Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, also famous as the Mumbai City Museum, is a cultural and historical place of importance in Mumbai. It was constructed in the early 20th century by George Wittet and inaugurated by Lady Lloyd, the wife of George Lloyd, Governor of Bombay. It has many antique inscribed sculptures and remains of artefacts from the Gupta, Kushana, and Chola periods. It is also a massive storehouse of the antiques of the Indus Valley civilization. It is rich in sculptures, Buddhist art, Mughal art, Indian textile galleries, numismatics, and archaeology sections of the museum.
How To Reach
Photo: Mumbai International Airport / Wikimedia Commons
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya address is 159-161, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001. It is situated in the heart of the city and is easily accessible by all means of transport:
By Air: From Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, the Mumbai International Airport is the closest airport.
By Rail: The Churchgate Railway Station is the closest railhead to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. The museum can be reached from any part of the city and therefore is quite convenient.
By Road: There are several buses such as 139, 14, A-1, 83 , A-107 that go to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. These buses are easily accessible from all parts of the city.
Places To Visit Around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is a very popular tourist attraction and is visited by millions of tourists every year. Some of the other attractions to visit around the museum are:
1. Gateway Of India
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Gateway of India is an impressive white monument in the middle of the Mumbai harbour. It is located in the southern part of the city facing the Arabian Sea. The Gateway of India is the city’s most important landmark and is also the most visited tourist site in Mumbai. The Gateway of India is the last remnant of the British Raj and it was built in the 1910s to commemorate King George V’s visit to India.
2. Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
Photo: Joe Ravi / Wikimedia Commons
The Taj Mahal Palace is a five-star hotel in Mumbai India and is one of the most famous hotels in the world. It is a wonderful piece of architecture with grandeur and beauty that no one can miss. The hotel was built in 1903 and is still an iconic piece of architecture in the city of Mumbai. It has a beautiful seafront and is the best place to stay in the city. The hotel has been the favourite place of several celebrities from all over the world. It is also a very popular attraction among tourists.
3. Colaba Causeway
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Colaba Causeway is a busy market area with restaurants, bars, shopping malls, and many other things. It is one of the most happening places in the city and a visit to Colaba Causeway is a must-visit for every tourist.
Things To Do
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Maharashtra renders the following sections for various things to do:
1. The Royal Court
Photo: Sailko / Wikimedia Commons
The Royal Court displays paintings and sculptures from the Mughal and Rajput eras. A few exhibits include the original artefacts of the Mughals. Visitors can find several historical paintings of both Hindu and Mughal emperors. The Royal Collection is a huge collection of the most valuable and rarest collections of coins, paintings, miniature paintings, sculptures, furniture, inscriptions, manuscripts, arms, and armour. It also has a wide collection of photographs including the most noticeable portrait of Shivaji at the entrance of the museum.
2. The Armoury
Photo: Harvinder Chandigarh / Wikimedia Commons
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai has a large collection of swords and armour from different historical eras. It has the biggest armoury collection in all of South Asia. The armoury of Shivaji Maharaj Museum Mumbai covers a variety of weapons like swords, shields, spears, maces, axes and guns. It is the best place in the world to study the evolution of armour and swords. The museum is a huge repository of rare and beautiful specimens reflecting Indian history and culture.
3. The Textile Museum
Photo: Adam Jones / Wikimedia Commons
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai India has also a gallery displaying textiles from all over India. The gallery has a collection of fabrics from all over India dating from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century. The textiles on show in the museum cover a variety of eras starting from ancient times right up to the colonial period. The textiles on show are actually not just textiles but are rather paintings, wood carvings, and other items all related to the fabrics. A lot of the textiles on display are handmade and the museum even has an exhibition hall for the same purpose where traditional artisans can display their handicrafts.
4. The Sculpture Gallery
Photo: Sailko / Wikimedia Commons
This museum has one of the finest collections of sculptures from different parts of India. The collection is huge and varied and spans the period from the Indus Valley Civilization to the twenty-first century. The sculpture gallery of Shivaji Museum Mumbai has on show, the remains of prehistoric rock art to the ancient Hindu art as well as modern sculptures. The Sculpture Gallery has on display sculptures from different eras of Indian history including Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain sculptures.
5. The Library
Photo: Harvinder Chandigarh / Wikimedia Commons
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya has a library with over one hundred and twenty thousand books on its shelves. These books cover different topics such as Indian history, art, culture, and so on. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya also has a well-stocked and well-managed library. The library is one of the biggest in the entire country and houses collections from all over the world. The collections include Indian art, archaeology, history, literature, music and dance, folklore, and religion.
Where To Eat
Photo: Mahi Tatavarty / Wikimedia Commons
Food is also another thing that people love, and Mumbai is famous for its street food. Burma Burma Restaurant is very famous for its North Indian and South Indian cuisines. Fountain Sizzlers is famous for its delicious Chinese cuisine. It is also the perfect place to meet your friends for a coffee or dessert. Khyber is famous for its South Indian cuisine and serves up some of the best South Indian food in the entire city. These places offer the best food to tourists during this trip.
Where To Stay
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There are plenty of hotels near Chhatrapati Museum, so tourists can choose one of them according to their budget. There are several types of hotels in the city, Lland budget hotels, economy hotels, and other categories are easily available. There are also budget hotels near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya with air conditioning and free internet access. These hotels are equipped with modern facilities and amenities like a coffee shop, fitness centre, bar, and so on. The nearby hotels are Hotel Shabana, Carlton Hotel, Shri Laxmi Lodge, and the Garden Creek Dormitory.
Best Time To Visit
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is a great place to visit at any time of the year. During summers, it’s hot and humid with no rain, whereas the winters are cold and dry. The ideal time to visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum Mumbai is in the winter and early summer when the weather is a bit pleasant with a few showers. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya timings are from 10.30 AM to 6 PM every day except on Mondays.
Other Factors To Consider
Photo: Walls of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ticket price is ₹150 and ₹35 ( adults and children respectively) for Indians and ₹700 and ₹200 ( adults and children respectively) for foreigners.
Tips For Travellers:
- Make sure to take in the amazing view of the museum from the ground floor and also look out for the great sculptures that are placed all around.
- Bring along some snacks and drinks with you because the museum is quite large and it might be tiring to walk around in the museum
- Don’t forget to bring your camera for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya photos.
- Take a book or note so that you can read the information provided by the museum’s staff.
- Carry light and comfortable clothes and footwear.
- The visitors can hire an audio guide at the museum to know more about the artefacts. The audio guide is available in different languages like English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, and French.
- Don’t forget to visit the museum gift shop to buy some of the lovely little things from the collection.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is one of the most important and largest museums in the entire world. This museum is a must-see place to visit for those who want to experience the history and culture of Mumbai. It is a place that holds a lot of important artefacts from all over India having best pieces of Indian history and culture. Plan with TripXL to visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya.
Cover Photo: Anoop Ravi / Wikimedia Commons