Book marks 150 years of Bhau Daji Lad Museum

One of the oldest institutions of Mumbai - the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum - has turned 150.

Since its establishment in 1972, for close to 100 years, it was known as the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The museum is located next to the Veer Mata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo at Byculla, popularly known as Byculla Zoo or RaniBaug.

Thereafter, it was named after Ramachandra Vitthal Lad, popularly known as Bhau Daji Lad (1824–1874), who was an Indian physician, Sanskrit scholar, and an antiquarian.

To commemorate the occasion, on Tuesday evening, Maharashtra Tourism, Environment and Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray released a commemorative book “Mumbai: A City Through Objects - 101 Stories from the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum” penned by Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, the noted historian, writer, who is also the Managing Trustee & Director of Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai.

“Commemorating 150 years of Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum on the eve of World Museum Day, it was a delight to unveil the book 'Mumbai A City Through Objects' and open doors to the ‘Hall of Wonders’ in the museum that chronicles the historical legacy of our Mumbai city and its evolution,” tweeted Aaditya.

As Mumbai’s first Museum, it showcases the city’s cultural heritage and history through a rare collection of Fine and Decorative Arts that highlight Early Modern Art practices as well as the craftsmanship of various communities of the Bombay Presidency.

The permanent collection includes miniature clay models, dioramas, maps, lithographs, photographs, and rare books that document the life of the people of Mumbai and the history of the city from the late eighteenth to early-twentieth centuries.

The Museum, once in a derelict condition, underwent a comprehensive five-year restoration and won UNESCO’s 2005 Award of Excellence in the field of Cultural Conservation. The Museum re-opened in 2008 with an extensive exhibition program and is committed to promoting contemporary art and culture.

The Museum has collaborated with other museums and cultural institutions from around the world to showcase contemporary artists and international exhibitions that relate to the Museum’s permanent collection.