Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

An incredible testament to colonialism, resilience and ingenuity of the Indian people. It's hard to believe and explain all I learned. This museum is a must-see! Come to see the rich extravagant beauty arose from a brutal exploitation of resources, for the sensitivities of some petty lords and governors. An unprecedented exchange of ideas and culture, intertwined in ivory, wood, and sculpted on amphorae. Discover a plethora of history, linking us to the beginning of civilization. After visiting this museum I have a newfound love, understanding and respect of the Indian people, culture and history, and a newfound distaste from colonialism and exploitation, especially the British and Jewish kind. I recommend to take a free tour is one is formed, they have dedicated professionals who put everything into context and give the visit a nice flow.

Mumbai’s Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum is the city’s oldest museum, founded in 1857 and formerly known as the Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay. It stands majestically in the lawns just outside the main entrance of Mumbai's other landmark Rani Baug now known as Veermata Jijamata Udyan (Botanical Gardens & Zoo) at Byculla East a short walk outside the suburban rail station. More than just a museum, the building itself is a landmark in Mumbai’s story it was the first colonial-era structure purpose-built to house a museum. Back when Bombay was among the richest mercantile hubs in India, often described as the Gateway to the East and even Urbs Prima (the first city of India), the museum was envisioned as a space to present India’s extraordinary cultural traditions to the world. The idea for a museum in Mumbai took shape in 1850, during preparations for London’s iconic Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort, wanted the exhibition to showcase the industrial arts and crafts of Britain’s colonies and encourage global trade around these products. That world fair became a catalyst for similar exhibitions and the creation of museums across the British Empire. For Bombay, objects and raw products sent from the Bombay Presidency to later global exhibitions especially the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition became the seed of what would be established locally as the Government Central Museum, originally housed at the Town Barracks in Fort. In 1975, the museum was renamed to honour Dr. Bhau Daji Lad, the visionary whose commitment helped make it possible. After five years of intensive restoration, the project received the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Excellence in 2005, and the museum reopened to the public on January 4, 2008 a powerful reminder of how heritage can be preserved, renewed, and returned to the city. This place a separate ticket counter at the entry of the building. Mobile photography is allowed. Must visit for history enthusiasts and general tourists who can spend good 1-2 hours exploring it indepth.

Our Saturday visit was great. The artifacts on ground floor were beautiful, intricate, and varied. The 2nd floor had a fascinating history of the city of Bombay. Weekends have free tours in English and Hindi at different times, and our guide Preethi was fantastic! Very well-versed and energetic, and left us with important questions about India's self determinism and identity.

It is a beautiful part of heritage of Mumbai. Situated right on the entry of Jijamata udyan (Mumbai zoo) Recently reopened after long renovation. The museum takes you back to history. A very beautiful map of "Bombay" when it was 7 seperate islands. A French map of "Bombay" fort. A lot of beautiful artifacts. Even the floor with beautiful tiles is a part of history. Really beautiful building, stairs, ceiling, windows. A nice collection of swords and knives. A special must visit is the Museum "parisar", the adjoining garden, with a beautifully growing giant bamboo. For me, it was first time seeing such huge and beautiful bamboo. A multi barrel Gun at the entry was a total"Wow". Several old times statues are places behind the building. If you are looking for real heritage, this is the place.

This museum is located in Byculla East at a walkable distance from the railway station, inside the gate of Byculla Zoo. I got to know lately that it's the oldest museum in Mumbai. It was totally worth visiting this museum, the entry fee was ₹20 only. The museum is well maintained and it's a good place to spend some time reading about history. It's usually more crowded on weekends. I completely recommend visiting this place if you haven't visited this place yet. It's a good place to visit along with your family and friends.

Wandering through the old V&A Museum of Bombay, the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum as it is now called and it felt like stepping through a time warp made of iron, basalt, and civic self-belief. There’s that extraordinary cannon with a dozen mouths, looking like something dreamt up by a Maratha Da Vinci who had read too much of the Arthashastra. More on that in a later post. There’s the black basalt elephant that once stood sentinel on Elephanta Island, now patiently enduring selfies under the Byculla trees. Around it sit the ghosts of empire, statues of governors, reformers, and forgotten worthies, all now gathering pigeon droppings and philosophical dust. The arcaded gateway, the old milestones declaring the Limits of the Town of Bombay, the inscribed slab with its Sanskrit and English vying for authority, every object is a palimpsest of trade, technology, and ambition. Even the museum’s own label admits its purpose: to showcase the “raw products of Western India” and how they could be “converted into manufactured articles.” Empire, after all, was the world’s first venture capital firm. Yet the place has aged gracefully. The mint-green walls gleam, the brass shines, and the labels tell stories of artisans, traders, and the improbable global network that made nineteenth-century Bombay a node of Asia’s economic imagination. The floor tiles were a relevation and the busts of the founders a testament to the philanthropic and cultural vision of those people. Compare that to the CSR activities of today. Meh. It’s hard not to smile at the irony. What was once a museum of industrial extraction has become a museum of cultural reflection. Standing there, surrounded by statues and relics of authority now stripped of power, you realise how history reclaims its own space. Slowly, quietly, beautifully. Still, it was depressing. Museumology has moved on since the 19th century and the displays were atrociously arranged and explained. Not happy at all. Amazing stuff and no explanation on where who why dates nothing. It’s a crying shame. People who forget history are condemned to repeat it with people who say this sitting on the side posting plaintive posts on LinkedIn. Sighs.

Good place to visit. Just too crowded on weekends and our people need to learn etiquettes how to behave in public. Especially parents to take care of kids. Rest place is well maintained, clean and tidy. Just that blfans for cooling should be increased in numbers as during peak summer it gets really hot in there.

It is very beautifully restored. If you are interested in arts, architecture you must visit this place. This is India's first Musium. This building is solely built to be a Musium unlike others. They do conduct free Walk on Saturday 11.30 am, which gives different insites of those place. When we visited celebrations and Limits of the city were two exhibits were there by Sameer Kulavoor, those were simply amazing. At the entry point we were asked not to carry water bottles inside, but inside we could not see any water dispenser facility. There is a cafeteria and clean bathroom but that is away from the main building. If management is not allowing to carry water bottles, they must at least have some water dispensers inside the Musium.