The original NGMA was inaugurated in 1954 in Delhi; the Mumbai arm, at the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Public Hall in Kala Ghoda – Mumbai's art district – opened to the public in 1996.
One of the largest in Mumbai, the gallery houses a vast, varied curations across five floors. It's best known for housing some of the best works by the Indian greats – Raja Ravi Varma, Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil and Jamini Roy – as well as contemporary figures like M.F. Husain, Anjolie Ela Menon, and Krishen Khanna. They've also hosted several highly-regarded international collections, such as the The Enduring Image, Treasures from the British Museum in 1998, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of India's independence; Picasso: Metamorphoses 1900-72; Italian Art 1950-70 Masterpieces from the Farnesina Collection in 2005; and Stefan Norblin (1892-52) A Master of Many Arts in 2011.
Sir Cowasji Jehangir Public Hall itself boasts an impressive legacy; designed by a Scottish architect, it was once the city’s go-to venue for concerts, political gatherings, and public meetings. Its walls have echoed with speeches by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, and with the music of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. It was restored and transformed into the NGMA as we know it today following the efforts of Indian sculptor Piloo Pochkhanawala and gallerist Kekoo Gandhy.
Time Out Tip: If you aren’t a fan of depositing your belongings in a locker, travel light, because bags and personal items aren’t allowed inside. Also, if you’re coming here, come prepared: covering all five floors takes a minimum of two hours.