Prince of Wales Museum was established in the year 1905 to mark the occasion of Crown Prince’s visit to Mumbai. The foundation of the museum was laid by George V after which the construction of the building started. The designs of the building symbolize the traditional architecture of the medieval period in western India.
The white sparking dome of the Prince of Wales Museum is unique in itself with the structure made out of basalt stone. The central dome was influenced by the famous Bijapur dome in its style and architecture. The beautiful garden adjacent to the museum is laid in a land that is crescent in shape. The structure of the Museum reflect a style which is a blend of the Moorish and Gothic art.
The art section of the Prince of Wales Museum comprise a wide collection ofpaintings from India. The section intends to highlight the different styles and phases through these paintings. The collection includes the Pahari paintings of the early 19th century, palm leaf manuscripts belonging to the 11th and 12th century and many more.
The museum displays paintings that belong to different school of art such as the Pahari, Deccani, Rajput and the Mughal. The paintings of each school of art has its own features and styles and differs in color and form from each other. Rajasthani and Mughal school of art wasinfluenced by Persia, Central Asia and Turkey, that is well reflected in the 16th and 19th century paintings