Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is a Grade I Heritage building of Mumbai. Many things have changed since then.
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The museum is a major landmark in the Kala Ghoda Art Precinct, along with NGMA, Jehangir Art Gallery and Regal Cinema. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum of Western India) is one the premier art and history museums in India situated in the Crescent Site on the southern tip of Mumbai. Designed by Sir George Wittet, in the Indo-Saracenic architectural s

tyle, building is one of the best examples of this architectural styles. On the 14th August 1905, a number of prominent people of Bombay gathered at the Town Hall and resolved to erect a Memorial to the visit of the Prince of Wales (later King George V) in the form of a public Museum which, would be named after him. The meeting was attended by Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, Justice Badrudin Tyabji, Narotamdas Gokuldas, Justice Chandavarkar, Sasson J. David and many other dignitaries known for their outstanding contribution in their respective fields and also in the development of the island of Bombay. The Foundation Stone of the Museum was laid by the Prince of Wales on 11th November 1905 and the Museum was named Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. For a long time people had also felt the need for a good museum in the city and finally the museum was established by the public contribution aided by the then Government of the Bombay Presidency. The building was completed in 1914 but it opened to the public much later on 10th January, 1922. Till then it was used by the military as a hospital and for the Children’s Welfare Exhibitions. Bombay is now known as Mumbai and the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India has been renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Set against a well-laid-out garden which retains its original plan even today, the museum is an important Heritage building of the city. Today, the Museum houses a world class collection of over 50,000 artifacts which comprises of various forms of art from India and beyond i.e. Far-East, Nepal and Tibet as well as Europe. It has an important archaeological collection and a natural history section, which are major attractions for children. This spectacular collection comprises of purchases as well as generous donations from dignitaries like Sir Ratan Tata and Sir Dorabji Tata. Several artifacts have been acquired from Seth Purshottam Mavji, Karl and Meherbai Khandalavala and the Archaeological Survey of India.

From miniature-sized Pavakathakali puppets to larger-than-life puppets, Puppetz brought stories, traditions, and craftsm...
13/05/2026

From miniature-sized Pavakathakali puppets to larger-than-life puppets, Puppetz brought stories, traditions, and craftsmanship alive at CSMVS.

Stories were retold through rare puppets collected from across the world - from Czechoslovakia, Germany, UK to Kerala, Rajasthan, West Bengal and beyond. Some of these remarkable puppets were over 100 years old, acquired through auction houses and carefully preserved as part of an effort to revive puppetry as a living art form by Dr. Swati Piramal .

The Nalanda Learning Centre witnessed a capacity audience of little ones immersed in the magical world of puppetry, storytelling, and performance together.

A special thank you to Dr. Swati Piramal and Priyasri Patodia for bringing Puppetz to CSMVS.

स्ट्रिंग्स ऑफ द पास्टप्राचीन संस्कृतींची चिन्हे आणि नक्षीकाम यांपासून प्रेरणा घेऊन सुंदर दोऱ्यांची कलाकृती तयार करा.रविव...
12/05/2026

स्ट्रिंग्स ऑफ द पास्ट
प्राचीन संस्कृतींची चिन्हे आणि नक्षीकाम यांपासून प्रेरणा घेऊन सुंदर दोऱ्यांची कलाकृती तयार करा.

रविवार, १७ मे २०२६
वेळ : सकाळी ११.०० ते दुपारी १.००
वय : १२ वर्ष वरील
स्थळ : नालंदा शिक्षण केंद्र

मर्यादित जागा
नोंदणी: [email protected]
संग्रहालय प्रवेश शुल्क लागू

Strings of the Past
Create intricate string art inspired by the symbols and patterns of ancient civilisations

Sunday, 17th May 2026
Time: 11.00 am to 1.00 pm
For ages: 12+ years
Venue: Nalanda Learning Centre

Limited seats
Register with your name and age at [email protected]

*Museum entry ticket applicable

Gyanbaji BoardPainting on cloth and laddersKolkata, 18th century CECSMVS 2011.1The Jains are firm believers in the Law o...
08/05/2026

Gyanbaji Board
Painting on cloth and ladders
Kolkata, 18th century CE
CSMVS 2011.1

The Jains are firm believers in the Law of Karma. This game aims to teach players the significance of good and bad actions and their results. It is played with cowrie shells and each player moves according to the number on the dice throw won. The ladders denote good behaviour and help players ascend to heaven. The lower section represents the hells, those in the middle represent the earthly existence.

The game has long been played by Jains, particularly during the monsoon retreat, to keep themselves occupied and a means by which players can learn about Jain ethics.

07/05/2026

Young minds thinking like curators ✨

The Citi-CSMVS Museum on Wheels team visited R.R. Podar School, Santacruz for a series of Think Museum sessions exploring museums, exhibitions, objects, and storytelling through heritage.

The journey culminated in a student-led exhibition - Jhalak: Karuya Olakh Itihasashi - where students transformed learning into a shared experience of history, creativity, and culture.

May 2026 - Events at a GlanceStep into May at CSMVS From puppet shows, storytelling sessions, and creative workshops to ...
07/05/2026

May 2026 - Events at a Glance

Step into May at CSMVS 

From puppet shows, storytelling sessions, and creative workshops to explorations of ancient maritime networks, biodiversity, scripts, and the Harappan world - this Summer month is packed with experiences for all ages.

Save this post and join us through a month of art, history, culture, and discovery at CSMVS, Mumbai.

 

Puppetz at CSMVSStep into a world of stories, music, and imagination with Puppetz, presented by CSMVS Mumbai in collabor...
05/05/2026

Puppetz at CSMVS

Step into a world of stories, music, and imagination with Puppetz, presented by CSMVS Mumbai in collaboration with the Piramal Art Foundation.

Line-up on 9th May at the Nalanda Learning Centre, CSMVS:

🧜‍♀️ The Singing Mermaid
Based on the book by Julia Donaldson
🕥 10:30 am | Age 2–6 years

🪄 Aladdin and the Flying Carpet
A musical puppet show
🕦 11:30 am | Age 2–6 years

🌸 Kalyanasaugandhikam – The Flower of Good Fortune
With Pavakathakali (Miniature Kathakali puppets from Kerala)
🕔 5:00 pm | Age 6+ years

🎟️ Register with your name and age at: [email protected]
Museum entry ticket applicable

Dr. Devangana DesaiENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIPS2026–27Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai announces scholar...
28/04/2026

Dr. Devangana Desai
ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
2026–27

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai announces scholarships at senior and junior levels. The scholarships will support research in ancient, medieval and pre-modern (until 1900s) art, archaeology, architecture, culture and history of India.

Application Deadline
15th May 2026

For further details visit
www.csmvs.in/dr-desai-endowment-programme
Link in bio

You can also email your queries to the coordinator at [email protected]

Digitalisation, Cataloguing and Rehousing of Pupul Jaykar Collection:The Pupul Jayakar Collection of Textile swatches, g...
24/04/2026

Digitalisation, Cataloguing and Rehousing of Pupul Jaykar Collection:

The Pupul Jayakar Collection of Textile swatches, generously donated by the Pupul Jayakar Memorial Trust, to the CSMVS.

This extraordinary collection reflects the richness and diversity of India’s textile traditions. So far, 1,530 swatches, including hand block prints, Mughal flower prints, Gujarat mashroo, Patan Patola, and Bandhani textile swatches, have been carefully measured, numbered, digitised, and catalogued. Conservation interventions were also undertaken to separate some swatches from their acidic paper supports. A detailed catalogue and reference guide with thumbnail images is being created alongside to serve as a resource for students, scholars, and researchers.

Alongside digitisation, the collection is also being rehoused in archival storage systems, ensuring this remarkable legacy is preserved for generations to come.

The Stone Age- Journey Through TimeThe Stone Age marks the first and the longest chapter of shared human history. While ...
21/04/2026

The Stone Age- Journey Through Time

The Stone Age marks the first and the longest chapter of shared human history. While early humans utilised wood and bone, these organic materials succumbed to time. Stone, however, endured. Stone tools are the oldest archaeological evidence of human existence. They allow us to gain insights into the lifeways of prehistoric people. They also provide the earliest evidence of technology transfer.

The artifacts presented in ‘The Stone Age: Journey through time’ exhibition are more than mere remnants of a distant past; they are the milestones of human ingenuity. Across hundreds of thousands of years, the evolution from the rugged, heavy-butted hand-axes of the Palaeolithic period to the delicate, razor-sharp microliths of the Mesolithic, and finally to the polished celts of the Neolithic, represents a cognitive leap, a shift from adapting to nature to actively reshaping it. This collection serves as a tribute to the early artisans whose skills laid the very foundation of modern civilization.

We were honored to have Prof. (Dr.) Arvind Jamkhedkar, Eminent Archaeologist and Art Historian, Chancellor of Sir J.J. De-Novo Deemed University,(School of Art, Architecture, and Design) Former Chancellor of Deccan College as the Chief Guest for the opening of the Exhibition.

The Stone Age: Journey Through Time exhibition is now open at CSMVS, Mumbai.

This exhibition is a collaboration between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) and the British Museum.
It is the culmination of a unique series of global partnership initiated by the CSMVS with the Getty’s Sharing Collection Program.

Earth's living StoriesIn Collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS) Celebrate Earth Day 2026 with ...
20/04/2026

Earth's living Stories
In Collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS)

Celebrate Earth Day 2026 with BNHS and CSMVS through show-and-tell demonstrations and guided tours of endangered specimens. The programme invites participants to look closely at specimens, animals and their habitat and consider how daily habits like reducing plastic, saving water, and protecting green spaces ripple outward. By connecting these specimens to choices we make at home, school, and work, the event aims to strengthen a sense of responsibility and show how even the smallest actions can add up to real care for our planet.

Date: 26th April 2026
Duration: 11:30 am to 1pm
For ages: 4+ years

Location: CSMVS Natural History Section and Bombay Natural History Society

Register at [email protected]
*Museum entry ticket applicable

World Heritage Day at CSMVS | A Day of Living TraditionsFrom storytelling and performance to hands-on workshops and arti...
19/04/2026

World Heritage Day at CSMVS | A Day of Living Traditions

From storytelling and performance to hands-on workshops and artist interactions, the museum came alive with voices, experiences, and practices that continue to shape our shared heritage.

We thank all our artists, collaborators, and participants for being part of this shared journey.

Address

159-161, M. G Road, Fort
Mumbai
400023

Opening Hours

Monday 10:15am - 6pm
Tuesday 10:15am - 6pm
Wednesday 10:15am - 6pm
Thursday 10:15am - 6pm
Friday 10:15am - 6pm
Saturday 10:15am - 6pm
Sunday 10:15am - 6pm

Telephone

022-2284 4484/ 4519

Website

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