18 May,2026 09:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish Kamble
Taxidermied adult tigers and cubs
When was the last time you walked into a museum? If you're drawing a blank, International Museum Day is your chance to change that. Celebrated every year on May 18 since 1977 by the International Council of Museums, it's your cue to pick from our handy list, no matter where your interests lie.
Bombay Natural History Society
Preserved specimen of jewel beetle exoskeleton. PIC COURTESY/BNHS
The BNHS Collection boasts of nearly 1,50,000 species preserved as specimens for students, naturalists, and researchers. The insect collection spanning over 70,000 insects is the crown jewel of the centre.
AT Hornbill House, opposite Lion Gate, Fort.
CALL 22821811 (to schedule a visit)
Taxidermy Centre, Sanjay Gandhi National Park
A 15-minute walk from the main gate pays off at the Taxidermy Centre where exhibits of nearly 200 wildlife species are exhibited. The park receives animals that die natural deaths across national parks in India, which are later taxidermied by experts.
TIME 9 am to 5.30 pm
AT Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli East.
ENTRY Park entry
Ticket applies
Framji Dadabhoy Alpaiwalla Museum
A recreation of a fire temple's interiors
The Bombay Parsi Panchayet and the Ministry of Culture joined hands last year to revive this world's only museum that documents the rich history and culture of India's Zoroastrian community.
A woman draped in the traditional Parsi Gara. FILE PICS/ASHISH RAJE
TIME 10 am to 5.30 pm (Mondays closed)
AT NS Patkar Marg, Khareghat Colony, Malabar Hill.
A model of HMS Minden, a 74-gun, Ganges Class ship built in 1810 by Jamshedji Bomanji Wadia. She was the first Royal Navy ship of her kind to be built outside Britain. FILE PIC
We use the term hidden gem sparingly, but this 1912-established museum at the TS Rahaman campus in Nhava makes the cut. Make a day trip to browse through exhibits including a 1835 Navigation Chart of the Arabian Coast, and paintings of early ships like the SS Hindostan.
AT TS Rahaman Campus, Nhava.
CALL 69741300 (to schedule visit; entry by official permission only)
Watch a 1:4 replica of the vintage Barsi Light Railway Narrow Gauge steam locomotive in motion
The next time you're at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, drop by this museum that provides a window into the decorated past of Indian Railways. Expect vintage artefacts, rare photos dating back more than 100 years, and immersive installations.
TIME 2 pm to 5 pm (Monday to Friday)
AT Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
ENTRY Rs 200; R100 (students)
A miniature model of the much-anticipated high-speed Shinkansen E5 bullet train. FILE PICS
RBI Monetary Museum
A dated Bank of Bombay note features former governers of Bombay Presidency, Mountstuart Elphinstone and John Malcolm. PIC COURTESY/RBI
Money talks at this repository of India's coinage and paper currency. Learn how money evolved through changing empires and testing times. This museum will keep you busy all day.
TIME 11 am to 5 pm (Mondays closed)
AT Ground floor, Amar Building, Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road, Fort.
PIC COURTESY/ The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum
One of the most famous museums, this French treasure house offers online tours that are detailed, informative, and a delight.
LOG ON TO louvre.fr
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
For those interested in contemporary history, this online archival tour documents one of the pivotal moments of 20th Century history.
LOG ON TO hpmmuseum.jp
PIC COURTESY/The Vatican Museum
The Lords Cricket Ground
The sacred home of cricket in London has thrown open its exclusive galleries and balconies to the online visitor, and it is not to be missed.
LOG ON TO lords.org
The Vatican Museum
From the awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel to Raphael's Rooms, everything on this tour is, forgive the pun, divine.
LOG ON TO museivaticani.va
Inputs by Shriram Iyengar
