Visit a museum In Mumbai - Enjoy its rich culture & history
Plan a visit to the museum in Mumbai. Mumbai, the city that never sleeps has something for everyone. It has some of India’s top restaurants, nightlife, and must-visit museums.
Museums are places where our past is brought to life. We cannot live in the present or envisage the future unless we comprehend history.
Many of these museums are also housed in beautiful heritage buildings, adding another dimension of visual grandeur to the whole thing.
Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is the best museum in Mumbai
Chattrapati Shivaji Sangrahalaya serves a very important role by teaching and entertaining people with art to promote awareness of India’s rich cultural history.
This Ido-Saracenic architecture in Fort, constructed by George Wittet, was formerly the Prince of Wales Museum of India and is arguably one of the most gorgeous structures in the entire city. It is the focal point of the whole artistic district of Kala Ghoda.
Inside the majestic tower, you can find many artifacts, including Indus valley-era pottery, handmade Buddhist statues from the Maurya Empire, and exquisite latticework on Mughal-era jewelry boxes, among others.
This museum in Mumbai exhibits artifacts and artworks from the Mughal empire and displays Mumbai’s trading links with other continents.
Location: MG Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai
Entry Fee: INR 70 (Adults); INR 35 (College Students); INR 20 (Children & Students)
Timing: 10.15 AM – 6.00 PM (Monday to Sunday)
Check Out The Top 09 Museums In Mumbai
1. Mani Bhawan
One of the most celebrated leaders of the 20th century once strolled the halls of Mani Bhavan in Gamdevi, and he did it in the spirit of gentle warriors.
From this tiny structure, Mahatma Gandhi oversaw numerous landmark initiatives, including Satyagraha, nonviolent resistance, and Swadeshi, or the promotion of indigenous industry, which finally led India to declare independence from the British Empire. Step inside to view photographs of Bapu at various phases of his life, his spinning wheel, and his living and working quarters.
A location that formerly housed Gandhi is now a famous museum in Mumbai. This location has played a significant role in several historical events initiated by Mahatma Gandhi, including the Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience Movements. The Bhavan depicts the life and death of Gandhi, as well as life in British-controlled Mumbai.
Location: Laburnum Road, Gamdevi, Mumbai
Entry Fee: None (Free entry)
Timing: 9.30 AM – 6.00 PM (Closed on 2nd and 4th Saturday)
2. Nehru Centre
Are you into astronomy? Browse telescopes, take an Astro-quiz, or read Astro-poetry. Discover India with dioramas and artifacts on the permanent display at this museum in Mumbai. The cultural wing offers to perform arts classes and lectures. Nehru Centre in Worli will hook you from science to the arts.
The Nehru Science Center, named after India’s first prime minister, is India’s largest interactive science museum with 500-plus exhibits, including energy, acoustics, kinematics, mechanics, and transport. Head on a Platter is a fantastic picture op.
The Sparkling High Voltage Demonstration has eye-popping demonstrations of electric current power. At the same time, its Tesla Coil creates a lightning-like effect.
Location: Worli, Mumbai
Entry Fee: INR 70 per person
Timing: 9.30 AM to 6 PM daily
3. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum
This colonial structure standing tall in Byculla will transport you to Mumbai 100 years ago. This famous museum in Mumbai, originally called Victoria and Albert Museum, was named after Bhau Daji Lad for his support of art and history. It displays Mumbai’s rich culture and protects global art.
Byculla’s perfectly preserved heritage property has an ornate ceiling, Corinthian pillars, patterned tile flooring, and glittering chandeliers. When you can take your gaze away from the building, you’ll find that it holds a plethora of other marvels.
View 19th-century paintings by J.J School of Art painters, 18th-century maps and pictures, 20th-century ivory paintings, ceramics, and other artifacts that light Mumbai’s art scene.
Location: Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Rd, Byculla East, Mumbai
Entry Fee: INR 10
Timing: 10.00 AM – 6.00 PM (Closed on Wednesdays)
During your Mumbai trip, appreciate the floral blooms at the Hanging Garden of Mumbai. Spend time in nature and enjoy the amazing sunset view of the Arabian Sea.
4. National Gallery of Modern Art
This museum in Mumbai is located within another fantastic heritage property in Fort and has branches in Delhi and Bangalore. NGMA has founded in the capital city on the premise that the Indian art community needs a nurturing and inspiring environment.
Today, the NGMA can claim to exhibit the works of some of the finest artists of all time, including Pablo Picasso, M.F. Hussain, Raja Ravi Verma, Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, and many more.
Location: National Gallery of Modern Art, Sir Cowasji Jehangir Public Hall, M G Road, Fort Mumbai – 400032
Entry Fee: Kids/students up till 12th standard- Free entry with ID Card, Indians INR 20, Foreign Nationals INR 500
Timing: 11:00 AM – 06:00 PM (Tuesday to Sunday)
Closed: Monday and public holidays
5. RBI Monetary Museum
Indian coinage previously honored a Greek Emperor. The Monetary Museum in Mumbai is housed in the Reserve Bank of India building at Fort. Money talks and tells a story here: you’ll see rare coins with kings’ insignia, religious images, and calligraphy.
Those whose hobbies include coin collecting will love this museum. There’s no better way to learn the notion of money and how it all started than by visiting this museum constructed by our country’s largest financial institution.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated this famous museum in Mumbai in 2004 that chronicles money’s history from barter to plastic. They’ve even kept coins and bills from different times.
Location: Amar Building, Sir Phirozshah Mehta Road, Fort, Mumbai
Entry Fee: INR 10
Timing: 10:30 AM – 5 PM (Closed on Mondays)
6. B.E.S.T. Museum
The red buses of Mumbai are the citizens’ constant lifelines. BEST buses, like railroads, were among the initial modes of public transportation in Mumbai. Hop in one of these and ride to the BEST bus museum at Wadala bus depot.
This one-of-a-kind museum in Mumbai displays everything from antique tickets, a collection of tram and bus tickets, staff uniforms, city gas lamps used before electricity, models of horse-drawn trams and electric trams, radiator grilles of buses, double-decker and modern buses.
You will find miniatures of the BEST vintage buses at the museum. If you want to learn about public transportation and its voyage through time, then this is the best place.
View historic bus tickets, black-and-white images of vintage buses and trams, route maps, miniature buses, displays of bus conductor badges, and other memorabilia. A classic Daimler double-decker bus chassis from 1938 grabs the most attention.
Location: Anik Bus Depot, Municipal Kamdar Vasahat, Sion East, Sion, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400022, India
Entry Fee: Free entry
Timing: 9 AM – 5 PM (Closed on Monday & Tuesday)
There are many famous and culturally significant locations in the city. Book a trip on the Mumbai Darshan bus if you are visiting the city for a short time and want to see all the city’s famous attractions. It takes visitors on sightseeing tours of all the significant Mumbai locations. The all-you-need-to-know Mumbai Darshan guide.
7. Jehangir Art Gallery
Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai isn’t simply a tourist attraction; it’s also an important location for artists. This art museum in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda area showcases painters, photographers, and sculptors.
It’s behind the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai or Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya. This art gallery has seven halls: Exhibition Galleries 1, 2, 3, Terrace Art Gallery for visual art and photography, Hirji Jehangir Gallery, and Auditorium Hall. All these galleries feature M. F. Husain and S.H. Raza’s works.
Location: 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400001, India.
Entry Fee: None (Free entry)
Timing: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday to Sunday
8. National Museum of Indian Cinema
It is natural that Mumbai, the cradle of Indian cinema, has a museum documenting the country’s cinematic history, from the 1896 screening of the first silent film at Watson’s Hotel in Mumbai to contemporary Bollywood. This fantastic new museum in Mumbai was launched in 2019 and consisted of two separate structures.
Permanent exhibitions detailing film development are housed in a 19th-century cottage, while the nearby modern glass edifice comprises four levels of interactive galleries.
On exhibit are several types of memorabilia, including posters, publications, costumes, old cameras, equipment, and touch screens displaying legendary film snippets. A children’s film studio gives an interactive filmmaking experience, while another museum area examines Gandhi’s influence on cinema.
Location: Gulshan Mahal, 24, Pedder Rd, Cumballa Hill, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400026, India
Entry Fee: INR 20 for Indians and INR 500 for foreigners
Timing: 11 AM to 6 PM (Tuesday to Sunday) – Monday closed
9. CST Heritage Gallery & Railway Museum
Local trains are the lifeline of Mumbai, and the CST Railway Station is one of the city’s most famous structures. Mumbai was one of the first cities in India to receive trains, and the CST Gallery and Railway Museum brilliantly illustrates this development with model trains, diverse structures, and historic train tickets.
This famous museum in Mumbai is a must-see for anyone with an insatiable passion for trains.
Location: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area, Fort, Mumbai
Entry Fee: INR 100 for students; INR 200 for others
Timing: 3 PM – 5 PM (Monday – Friday)
It is encouraging to observe that these museums help to preserve Mumbai’s culture and historical relevance. Visiting any famous museum in Mumbai while enjoying a relaxing stay at hotels in Mumbai is a perfect strategy for art lovers to spend their evenings in Mumbai and savor the city’s great art.