Prince of Wales Museum
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The Prince of Wales Museum (now renamed Chatrapati Shivaji Museum), Bombay, India, was set up in the early years of the 20th century by some prominent citizens of Bombay with the help of the government, to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. It is located in the heart of South Bombay near the Gateway of India.
One of the resolutions of the committee at its meeting on June 22, 1904 was, "The building should have a handsome and noble structure befitting the site selected, and in keeping with the best style of local architecture." The committee spared no effort to realize this dream. On March 1, 1907, the then government of Bombay handed over to the museum committee a spot of land known as the "Crescent Site", situated at the southern end of the present Mahatma Gandhi Road. After an open competition for the design, George Wittet was commissioned to design the Museum building in 1909. Wittet had collaborated with John Begg in the construction of the General Post Office building. His other works in Bombay include the Court of Small Causes and the magnificent Gateway of India.
The museum houses rare and ancient exhibits of Indian history as well as objects from foreign lands. It has also Indus Valley Civilization artefacts, relics from ancient India from the time of the Guptas and Maurayas.