07 January,2025 09:45 PM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
In 2005, the museum received the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Cultural Heritage Conservation for its restoration project.
Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadanvis will inaugurate the renovated Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla, Mumbai, on Wednesday (January 8). The museum will be opened to the public on the same day.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had, in March 2023, started the museum's renovation work, and the restoration, rejuvenation, and conservation efforts were completed within 18 months as per the schedule. This included waterproofing and restoration of the roof, intricate repairs of its ornamentation, internal and external plasterwork, repairs to windows, plinth protection, painting, and refurbishing of railings and ramps.
The Mumbai civic body spent around Rs 2.8 crore on this project, which enhances the grandeur and beauty of this iconic structure.
The museum showcases the city's rich cultural heritage and artistic history. The concept of the museum emerged from the Great Exhibition in London,1851. Initially named the Victoria and Albert Museum, it was established in 1855 and opened to the public in 1857.
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The foundation stone of the current museum building was laid on November 19, 1862, by then-Governor Sir Henry Bartle Frere, and its construction was completed in 1872. In honor of Dr Ramkrishna Vithal, also known as Bhau Daji Lad, who played a key role in its establishment, the museum was renamed after him on November 1, 1975.
The museum is a confluence of science, art, and spirituality, featuring clay figurines, maps, stone engravings, photographs, rare books, and more. It is organised into six sections that include the history of Mumbai, industrial arts, 19th-century paintings, founding exhibits, the Kamalnayan Bajaj Mumbai Gallery, and the Kamalnayan Bajaj Special Exhibition Gallery.
In 2005, the museum received the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Cultural Heritage Conservation for its restoration project.
The museum is committed to cultural education and fostering a dialogue through exhibitions, workshops, and performances, inspiring an appreciation of the artistic, cultural, and economic history of Mumbai.
