Scindia Museum

About the Scindia Museum

The Jivaji Rao Scindia Museum occupies some twenty five rooms of Jai Vilas Palace in Gwalior, while the Scindia family continue to live in the rest of the building. The rooms have been kept furnished rather than emptied into display cases, which is what distinguishes this museum from most others: you walk through a household rather than a gallery.

Gilt ceilings, heavy draperies and tapestries, fine Persian carpets and antique furniture from France and Italy set the scene, and the objects on show range from state silver to personal keepsakes. Together they offer an unusually direct glimpse into the lifestyle of princely India.

Through the rooms

The furnished state rooms

The rooms retain their carpets, furniture, drapery and gilt ceilings, so each one reads as a space that was used rather than a display. Moving through them in sequence gives a sense of how a princely household was organised.

Silver, arms and keepsakes

The collection runs from silver dinner services and swords once worn by Aurangzeb and Shah Jahan to jewelled slippers, four-poster beds, hunting trophies, portraits and gifts received from countries around the world. It is the mixture of state objects and private ones that makes it memorable.

Planning your visit

The museum is entered through Jai Vilas Palace, so one visit covers both, and the palace remains a private residence.

• Allow about two hours.
• Confirm opening days and hours before you go.
• Check photography rules at the entrance, as they vary by room.
• Keep to the marked visitor route.

Best time to visit

The museum is indoors and works in any weather, which makes it a good choice on a hot afternoon or a wet day. October to March is the pleasantest season in Gwalior overall, and mornings are quieter than afternoons.