Explore the Ancient World
How did India contribute to the shaping of the World, and how was India shaped by it?
Networks of the Past: a new Museum Gallery, opening December 13, 2025
Discover the Ancient World through India!
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is delighted to announce the opening of its all-new educational initiative — ‘Networks of the Past: A Study Gallery of India and the Ancient World’. Featuring over 300 extraordinary archaeological objects from 15 museums across India and the world, this landmark endeavour reveals how ancient India was at the heart of a vibrant, interconnected world. Explore how human beings learned to live together, exchange ideas, and build enduring systems of knowledge and culture. These were not isolated stories, but shared journeys — distinct in character, yet deeply connected through trade, culture, and thought.
Themes
View all Themes
Harappan Civilisation (Sindhu-Sarasvati/Indus Civilisation)
The Harappan Civilisation ranks among the world’s earliest and most influential ancient civilisations.
Agriculture and surplus
The plough’s introduction in the 4th millennium BCE transformed farming, boosting food production and populations.
Mesopotamia, Egypt and China: Great River Civilisations Outside India
These river civilisations developed complex systems to govern land, water, people and produce.
The Mediterranean: Civilisations of land and sea
The Mediterranean and Black Seas enabled trade and cultural exchange in a warm, fertile climate.
Empire: Projecting Power
Rulers devised various strategies to govern diverse peoples and assert their authority over them.
Events
Shared Worlds, Shared Knowledge: Emerging Models for Museum-University Partnerships
Saturday, 13 December 2025 | 6 pm
The Ancient World Gallery (AWG) project at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) has fostered a pioneering Museum-University partnership that redefines how the ancient world is studied and taught.
Partner Institutions
