City Palace Museum, Jaipur

The City Palace Museum in Jaipur is one of India’s foremost palace museums, established in 1959 under the stewardship of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust to preserve and share the tangible and intangible heritage of the Jaipur royal court. Located in the heart of Jaipur’s historic walled city, the museum is set within the magnificent City Palace complex, constructed from the mid-18th century under Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur. The complex is a stunning fusion of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles featuring grand courtyards, elaborate gateways, and ornately decorated pavilions. The museum’s collection is nationally significant, drawn from the centuries-long patronage of the Kachhwaha rulers of Amer and Jaipur across more than 36 art forms. Key highlights include the Textile Gallery in Mubarak Mahal, displaying royal costumes, Kashmiri Pashmina shawls, Benaras silk saris, and ceremonial attire. The Armoury Gallery holds an impressive collection of swords, shields, pistols, and royal weapons. The museum also displays astronomical manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Latin, and Sanskrit acquired by Sawai Jai Singh II for his astronomical research, rare miniature paintings, and carpets. A portion of the palace, the Chandra Mahal, remains the residence of the Jaipur royal family and is accessible via curated tours. Open daily from 09:30 to 19:30, the City Palace Museum is among Jaipur’s most visited and culturally significant institutions.