The last time we were at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) was shortly before the pandemic. The museum had opened its coin and jewellery gallery but by late March, it had to shut owing to the first wave of COVID-19. It briefly reopened in February-March 2020, only to be closed again because of the second wave. While the idea of being in public spaces still overwhelms many of us, the good news is the opens its doors to the public today. With the re-opening, the museum is offering a unique proposition to the public to adopt galleries and artefacts and help in preserving India’s cultural heritage.

In rewind mode

The early 19th century was the time of intellectual institutions in India, with British interest to explore Indian history. The concept of the museum was also introduced in a formal way. By the mid-20th century, Indian connoisseurs, kings, British officials, and art lovers were collecting Western, Indian, and oriental art. With donations from some of these collectors and via purchases, CSMVS’s (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) repository of over 70,000 objects was built over time.