Jai Vilas Palace is the current residence of the Scindia royal family in Gwalior. It was built in 1809, and designed by Lt. Col. Sir Michael Filose. The palace is an ode to grace and beauty and reflects the life style of the princely Indian era. The Jai Vilas Palace is an Italian structure blending the Tuscan and Corinthian architectural modes. About 35 rooms of the Palace have been converted into a Museum. The main Durbar Hall is extremely grand and impressive. It has two stunning central chandeliers, weighing a couple of tonnes. It is said that these chandeliers were hung only after ten elephants had tested the strength of the roof. The decorative and exquisitely worked ceilings are picked out in gilt. The rooms are furnished with heavy draperies and tapestries, fine Persian carpets, and antique furniture from France and Italy. This Palace and Museum attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world.

There are beautiful and rare treasures in the Museum. One can also see a silver train with cut glass wagons which served guests as it chugged around the table on miniature rails; a glass cradle from Italy used for the baby Krishna on each Janmashtami, silver dinner services and swords that were once worn by famous Mughal Emperors Aurangzeb and Shah Jahan. These are, besides, personal mementoes of past members of the Scindia family- the jeweled slippers that belonged to Chinkoo Rani, four-poster beds, and souvenirs from practically every country in the world, hunting trophies and portraits. The Scindia Museum offers an unparalleled glimpse into the rich culture and lifestyle of princely India. This palace depicts the peculiar lifestyle of the royalty in India.