Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery

The Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery is an archeological and natural history museum in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. It was built in 1894 on the lines of the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Science Museum of London.

History


The museum is located in Kamatibaug, Dak Bunglaw, Sayajiganj, Vadodara, Gujarat. It was established during the reign of the Gaekwad dynasty of Baroda State. Major Mant in association with R. F. Chisholm  who refined some of Mant's finest works to make genuine Indo-Saracenic architecture designed the building. It covers 113 acres.

Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III belonging to the Gaekwad dynasty of the Marathas, founded the museum in 1887. The museum building was completed in 1894, when it opened to the public. Construction of the art gallery commenced in 1908, was completed in 1914, but did not open until 1921 as the First World War delayed transfer of pieces from Europe intended for the gallery. The Picture Gallery building was added to the museum in 1910.

Collection
The collection holds a rich collection of art, sculpture, ethnography and ethnology. The picture gallery offers a collection of originals by famous British painters J. M. W. Turner and John Constable and many others. The Egyptian mummy and skeleton of a baby blue whale are major attractions. Other treasures include the famous Akota Bronzes dating to the fifth century, a collection of Mughal miniatures, a full-fledged gallery of Tibetan art, Indian handicrafts, artefacts and coins.

Timings
The museum is open from 10:30 am till 5:00 pm except for government holidays.