‘sunken museum’

Humayun’s Tomb complex

Nizamuddin area.

Humayun’s Tomb Museum

Moby Sara Zachariah

Founder, Unfold Delhi

Published image from page 290 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 290 · Enlarge page
Published image from page 290 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 290 · Enlarge page
Published image from page 290 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 290 · Enlarge page
Published image from page 291 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 291 · Enlarge page

The Emperor and the Stars

Humayun was an avid lover of astronomy and astrology. He had invited a family of astrolabe makers who started referring to themselves as ‘Humayunis’. There are three such Humayuni instruments on exhibit.

All Image Credits: Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum | Photograph by Narendra Swain, courtesy Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)

The museum also displays a variety of other astronomical instruments such as celestial spheres. Humayun believed

spheres are used to represent the position of the stars and planets and to study their movements.

Heaven on Earth: The Mughal Gardens

Babur Enjoying A Feast In Herat, CE 1598, Baburnama, National Museum

Avifauna and Fauna of Hindustan

Peacock And Peahen, Baburnama, CE 1598, National Museum

Published image from page 293 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 293 · Enlarge page
Published image from page 293 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 293 · Enlarge page
Published image from page 294 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 294 · Enlarge page

Water As Memory

Surahi, Copper, 18th/19th Century

Lota, Brass & Copper, 19th Century

Smell the Fragrance of Nature

Rosewater Sprinkler, 18th Century, National Museum

Published image from page 295 of The Natural World of the Mughals
Published page 295 · Enlarge page
View original pages, photographs & credits
Original published page 290
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Original published page 291
Original page 291 · Open image to enlarge
Original published page 292
Original page 292 · Open image to enlarge
Original published page 293
Original page 293 · Open image to enlarge
Original published page 294
Original page 294 · Open image to enlarge
Original published page 295
Original page 295 · Open image to enlarge

Originally published in Museum Mosaic 2024, published May 2025.

Part of our annual review. Descriptions reflect the publication’s reporting period.