Gulabhari Vasti, Lohgaon,
Maharashtra 411047,
India
A famous journalist and writer, Francois Gautier, founded the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum of Indian History in 2010. The purpose of this museum is to show the various aspects of Indian history through several time periods. Francois Gautier formed an organisation known as the Foundation for Advancement of Cultural Ties (FACT), which is also the founding organisation for the museum. The museum is a part of a large property and is divided into various sections. The sections showcase exhibits belonging to different dynasties, rulers or groups of individuals; a display on Aurangzeb, the life of Shivaji Maharaj, the Portuguese invasion of India, Ahilyabai’s life, Dara Shikoh’s journey, Maharana Pratap’s life, Aryan Invasion theory, Tibetan history, to name a few. The displays are in the form of paintings, miniature paintings, posters, banners, drawings, etc.
The museum also has a hall to screen documentaries, videos, and movies based on Indian history. They also provide guided tours of the museum, and some books on Indian history are also put forth for sale.
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This is the entrance to one of the main galleries of the museum--the gallery on Shivaji, his childhood, and some of his main achievements.
This is the gallery that has paintings and information about the Portuguese in India and the religious conflicts they had with the Hindus.
The museum is located in a serene area that is canopied with trees. It is a lovely place to spend an afternoon with the family.
The museum library is still curating a list of books that relate to the history that is being depicted by the artefacts and paintings in the museum.