“A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth, and meaning in our lives.”
Maira Kalman
Bhau Daji Lad Museum – Mumbai’s Oldest
Until 13 years ago, the only museum that locals and tourists in Mumbai knew about was the Prince of Wales Museum in the Fort area. Such was the state of Bhau Daji Lad Museum. No one knew where it was, or who they named it after, or what it held. Except, families who visited the zoo observed a sad building within the premises.
Thanks to INTACH, the restoration of this magnificent edifice brought honour to the Urbs Prima in Indis. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai’s oldest and the third oldest in the country, the erstwhile Victoria & Albert Museum, opened its restored doors to the public in 2008.
The Glorious Past
London hosted the Great Exhibition in 1851, for which the Bombay Presidency sent several exotic artefacts as their colonial contribution. A replica of these artefacts kept at the Town Barracks went on view to the public. Housed in a building constructed with public funds, the Victoria and Albert Museum came into being in 1857.
During its establishment, the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai and the secretary of the Museum Committee, Dr Bhau Daji Lad, dedicated himself to its completion. 118 years later, in 1975, the state renamed the museum in his honour.
The Architecture of the Bhau Daji Lad Museum Building
Conceived by its first curator George Birdwood, the Palladian edifice showcases ornate terracotta Corinthian columns on the outside. As you enter, an old turnstile gate lets you into the cavernous hallway. The flamboyant gilt frames, Doric columns and resplendent chandeliers dazzle the eyes.
Straight ahead, a majestic statue of Prince Albert stands tall. Two seated angels, the Muse of Art and the Muse of Science, flank it. Behind the statues, a broad stairway with wrought-iron railings takes us to the Kamalnarayan Bajaj Mumbai Gallery.
This upper hallway decorated with stained glass windows hosts the Origins of Mumbai collection. Large-scale models of the evolution of the island of Mumbai grace this collection, as are miniature figurines of the inhabitants of Mumbai and their professions.
Surrounding Grounds
Just outside the building, you can check out marble statues of British royalty, including Queen Victoria. But, the most significant figure in the gardens is of an elephant. Discovered by the British on the islands of Gharapuri, this elephant led to the naming of the islands as Elephanta.
The Renaissance Revival style gardens surrounding the museum later gave way to the Byculla Zoo. In these gardens, one can also see the David Sassoon clock tower. Built in 1864 by the Sassoon family, this lovely Italian style structure bears a spiral staircase. The Porbandar stone structure has Minton tiles as flooring.
BDL Museum, as they call it today, hosts many activities and exhibitions to promote art and culture in the maximum city. The museum conducts a guided exploration on the weekends and is now a major attraction along with a visit to the zoo.
