Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, Aurangabad

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) is a museum dedicated to the life and times of Shivaji, the 17th-century founder of the Maratha kingdom and one of the great heroes of Maharashtra. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum tells the story of the Maratha wars against the Mughal empire, fought across the Deccan plateau around the city.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was Aurangzeb's base in the Deccan for much of his long campaign against the Marathas, and the emperor is buried at nearby Khuldabad, so a museum to Shivaji here carries particular meaning. The city itself was renamed in 2023 after Shivaji's son Sambhaji. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum is run by the municipal corporation and is compact, but it gives useful background to the forts, tombs and battlefields of the region. Its collection covers arms and armour, coins, manuscripts, paintings and textiles, with photographs and displays on Shivaji's hill forts, such as Torna, Lohagad and Sinhagad.

What to see

• Swords, daggers, shields, spears and other Maratha-era weapons
• Suits of armour and battle gear from the Maratha wars
• An old Paithani saree, a reminder of the local weaving tradition
• Old coins, including Maratha issues, and historic documents and letters
• Manuscripts and paintings from the Maratha and Mughal periods

What to wear

There is no strict dress code at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, but modest casual clothing is appropriate. Light cotton suits Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar's hot, dry climate for much of the year. The museum is a good place to see the region's traditional dress: the Paithani saree with its peacock and lotus borders, and the pheta turban, whose colours carry meaning at Maharashtrian weddings and festivals.

Local food to try

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is known for naan qalia, a spiced Mughal-era mutton curry with flatbread, and for Maharashtrian vegetarian dishes such as misal pav, pithla bhakri, sabudana khichdi and puran poli. Tea stalls and small restaurants around the museum serve chai, poha and snacks, and the old city has halal biryani and kebab houses.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March; mornings are cooler
• Open about 10:30am to 6pm; check locally for the weekly closing day
• Small entry fee payable at the gate; camera fee may apply
• Allow about an hour
• In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, about 5 km from the railway station
• Photography rules vary by gallery; ask at the desk

Nearby places

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum fits into a city day with Bibi Ka Maqbara, and gives context for Daulatabad Fort and the Ellora Caves on the road north west.