Networks of the Past: A Study Gallery Of India and the Ancient World

Networks of the Past is a landmark study gallery that reimagines how India’s ancient history is viewed — not in isolation, but as part of a vibrant global network. Starting with the Harappan (Sindhu- Sarasvati) Civilisation and culminating in the Gupta period. Through 250 archeological objects, the gallery traces India’s connections with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Persia, and China through trade, art, ideas, and belief systems. They present a tangible map of interaction, showing that ancient civilisations evolved through constant dialogue and exchange — the very essence of human progress.

A landmark global co-curation, Networks of the Past brings together antiquities from six international and eight Indian museums under one roof — a collaboration never before seen in India. This global educational endeavour brings together some of the world’s leading museums and scholars in collaboration.

The project, developed under Getty’s Sharing Collections Programme, has been four years in the making. It brings together objects from leading institutions including the British Museum, London, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, the Benaki Museum, Athens, the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens, Ministry of Culture, Greece and the Al-Sabah Collection (Kuwait). Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, it also features antiquities from the Archaeological Survey of India, the National Museum (New Delhi), the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM), Government of Maharashtra, the Allahabad Museum, Prayagraj, the Government Museums of Lucknow and Mathura, Indian Museum, Kolkata and the Bihar Museum, Patna.
Designed as an immersive educational space, the gallery will welcome students and visitors to engage directly with objects, encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of India’s enduring role in the shared story of human civilisation.

Partner Institutions

Message from the Director

SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE

Director General, CSMVS

It gives me immense pleasure to present a four-year labour of love—an exploration of India’s role in the ancient world—appropriately titled “Networks of the Past: A Study Gallery of India and the Ancient World.” This project, now showcased on our dedicated website, has long been a dream of ours. The new Study Gallery will formally open its doors to the public on 12 December 2025.

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People of the Project

At the heart of the Networks of the Past exhibition is a committed team of people who bring the gallery to life. The project is shaped by museum leaders, curators, conservators, educators, researchers, and administrators at CSMVS, working hand in hand with colleagues from partner institutions across the world.

Together, they combine scholarship, creativity, and expertise on collections and designing exhibitions, as well as building connections with the public. Their collaborative work ensures that the gallery is not only a space to encounter history but also a living dialogue between cultures, ideas, and communities.

Discover the People of the Project

Ancient Sculptures

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai’s Ancient World Project is a unique international and educational initiative aimed to bring great works of art from other cultures to Mumbai, witnesses to a shared human history, in order to deepen and enrich the study of world history in Indian schools and universities.

The project’s first presentation, Ancient Sculptures: India Egypt Assyria Greece Rome was a transcontinental endeavour that brought together long-standing partners — the CSMVS, The J. Paul Getty Museum, and The British Museum, and for the first time, the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, along with museums from India, to showcase magnificent works of art from the ancient world.

Ancient Sculptures Project