Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

Housed in a restored Victorian building in the Byculla area, this is the oldest museum in Mumbai, dating to the mid-19th century. Its richly decorated interior, with gilded columns, painted ceilings and a grand staircase, holds dioramas, decorative arts, clay models and maps tracing the social and industrial history of the city. Set within a botanical garden and zoo, the museum reopened after a lauded restoration that revived its ornate Renaissance-revival detailing. It offers an intimate look at the material culture of colonial-era Bombay.