Mumbai's Oldest Museum

The oldest Museum of Mumbai, like other museums in the world which opened to the public during the middle of the 19th century, was presented as a ‘Hall of Wonder’, as most of the citizens had never seen a museum.
Bombay, then the richest mercantile town in India, was considered the Gateway to the East or Urbs Prima in India, the first city of India, and had the honor of exhibiting to the world the country’s rich cultural traditions.

The design included all the basic features of the building visible today- a long hall, Doric pillars, galleries on either side of the building and large windows for light and ventilation. 

The richly colored details, the intricate woodcarving, the Minton tiled floors, the etched glass, and the gold gilding make it a unique example of 19th-century architecture in India.

1975, the Museum was renamed the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in honor of the man whose vision and dedication enabled its establishment. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad was the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai, a philanthropist, historian, physician, surgeon, and secretary of the Museum Committee when it was first instituted.