THE newly renovated Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum here, known to be the oldest museum in Maharashtra, was inaugurated on Wednesday. The museum had remained closed for four years, first on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, and later for renovation work. “True wealth of a city is not reflected in its wealthy inhabitants or towering buildings, but in its museums,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said as he inaugurated the renovated museum, located on the premises of Jijamata Udyan in central Mumbai. “Museums provide a glimpse into a city’s civilization, culture, people’s lives, and history,” he said, adding that the primary goal of building such museums is to preserve historical heritage for future generations.

 

“This is the oldest museum in Maharashtra and third oldest in the country,” he noted. It would serve as a major attraction for tourists and offer visitors a unique experience through its rare objects and photographs, the Chief Minister added. “Our country has a rich history, older than 10,000 years, and wherever you dig up, you will find remnants of our rich civilization,” he said. Mumbai municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said the Bhau Daji Lad museum building is a small-scale replica of the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. “That museum was (painted) in celadon green. This is also in celadon green,” Gagrani said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation spent Rs 3 crore on the restoration of the museum, he said.