The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, formerly Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, Mumbai, India, was founded in the early years of the 20th century by some prominent citizens of Bombay with the help of the government to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales. It is located in the heart of South Mumbai near the Gateway of India.
One of the resolutions of the committee at its meeting on June 22, 1904 was, "The building should have a handsome and noble structure befitting the site selected and in keeping with the best style of local architecture." The committee spared no effort to realize this dream. On March 1, 1907, the then government of Bombay handed over to the museum committee, a spot of land known as the "Crescent Site" situated at the southern end of the present Mahatma Gandhi Road. After an open competition for the design, George Wittet was commissioned to design the Museum building in 1909. Wittet had collaborated with John Begg in the construction of the General Post Office building.
It is built in a confluence of Gothic and Moorish styles, and crowned by a sparkling white dome. It boasts a good collection of ancient Indus Valley artifacts dating back to 2000 BC, plus some priceless Tibetan and Nepali Art. There is an entire gallery devoted to Buddhist tankha scrolls and another to Tibetan bronzes, but the chief attraction here is the collection of over 2000 miniature paintings from the various art schools of India.
