The court of the Nawabs
Set within the old palace of the Nawabs of Junagadh, the Durbar Hall Museum preserves the regal world of the princely state. Its centrepiece is the durbar (Audience) hall itself, glittering with grand chandeliers, ornate furniture, plush carpets and the silver and gilded thrones from which the Nawabs once held court. Around it, galleries display royal weaponry and armour, palanquins and elephant howdahs, textiles and costumes, portraits of the rulers and personal memorabilia of the court.
It is an intimate window into the wealth, ceremony and daily life of Junagadh in its heyday. For visitors, the museum makes a fine complement to the Mahabat Maqbara and Uparkot, completing the picture of Nawabi Junagadh — the human, courtly story behind the city’s great monuments.
The royal durbar hall.
The Nawabs' court, kept as it stood
Thrones and chandeliers.
The Nawabs of Junagadh governed their state from the palace complex in the old city for nearly two centuries.
The durbar hall was where the court's ceremony happened — audiences, investitures and the formal business of a princely state.
Around that ceremony a collection accrued: thrones, chandeliers, howdahs, weapons, carpets and portraits of the line.
After the state's accession the hall and its contents became a museum, kept much as the court left them.
Reasons to make the time
Royal thrones
The silver and gilded thrones are the centrepiece — actual seats of state, not reproductions.
Chandeliers
The durbar hall itself glitters: chandeliers, mirrors and carpets in the full late-princely manner.
Howdahs
The howdahs — ornate elephant seats used in procession — are among the best surviving anywhere in Saurashtra.
Arms & armour
The armoury holds the court's weapons, from ceremonial swords to working firearms.
Portraits
Portraits and photographs put faces to the Nawabs, including the last, who left for Pakistan in 1947 with his famous dogs.
Completes the story
It pairs naturally with Mahabat Maqbara and Uparkot Fort, both a short distance away.
What to look for inside
THE HALLDurbar splendour
Thrones, mirrors and chandeliers in the audience hall of the Nawabs.
THE GALLERIESThe royal collection
Weapons, howdahs, carpets, textiles and portraits of the line.
How to spend an hour or two
Enter the durbar
See the audience hall and the thrones first; they are the reason the museum exists.
Admire chandeliers
Look up — the chandeliers and mirrors are half the spectacle of the hall.
See the howdahs
Find the howdahs, the processional elephant seats, which are extraordinary pieces of craft.
Browse the arms
Go through the armoury, where ceremonial and working weapons sit side by side.
Study the portraits
Meet the Nawabs in their portraits, down to the last of the line and his celebrated dogs.
Pair with the city
Continue to Mahabat Maqbara and Uparkot Fort to complete the Junagadh circuit.
A Nawabi durbar.
A glittering audience hall
The heart of the museum is the durbar hall itself: a high, ornate audience chamber hung with chandeliers, spread with royal carpets and furnished with the thrones and ceremonial seats of the Nawabs. Display cases and adjoining galleries, set within the old palace rooms, hold the rest of the collection.
The architecture is that of a 19th-century princely palace — grand but human-scaled — designed to impress visiting dignitaries and stage the ceremony of the court.
Planning more of the area? Our Junagadh guide covers the whole district.
If this is what you travel for, browse museums and palaces in Gujarat.
Ornate durbar audience hall
Silver & gilded thrones
Grand chandeliers & carpets
Palace galleries of regalia
When to go
November to February is the season in Junagadh — cool enough to combine the museum with Uparkot and Girnar.
The monsoon turns Girnar green and the city fresh, and the museum is indoors regardless.
April to June is hot; sightsee early, and console yourself that it is Kesar mango season around Junagadh.
⏰ Allow an hour; it's usually closed on Wednesdays, so plan your Junagadh sightseeing around that.
Timings & entry
- Open daytime; usually closed Wednesdays
- Photography rules vary — check inside
- Allow about an hour
- Pair it with the nearby monuments
- A modest museum ticket is charged
- Cameras may carry an extra charge
- Do not touch the exhibits
- Combine it with Maqbara and Uparkot
Getting there
By Air
Keshod Airport (~40 km) is nearest.
By Rail
Junagadh station is a short ride away.
On Foot
In the old city, near the palace area.
At the museum
THRONE & LIGHT
The glitter of a princely court
What to shoot
The durbar hall and thrones, where photography is allowed.
Detail
Chandeliers, carpets and the howdahs.
Portraits
The Nawabs and their regalia in portrait.
Check rules
Check the photography rules at the desk first.
Know before you go
More to see close by
ANCIENTAshokan Rock Edicts
Emperor Ashoka’s edicts carved ~250 BCE
SUFIDatar Hill
A hilltop Sufi shrine with sweeping valley views
JAINGirnar Jain Temples
Marble temple cluster high on the mountain
NATURENavghan Kuvo
Birdlife and still water below the massif
HERITAGEJunagadh Old City
Bazaars, gateways & the Nawabi quarter
FORTUparkot Fort
Ancient citadel with stepwells, caves & cannons
Where to eat near Durbar Hall Museum
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & farsan
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREET FOODChaat & kachori
Bustling old-city bazaar bites.
Kesar mangoes
Junagadh's Girnar-grown Kesar mango is famed (Summer).
Durbar Hall Museum FAQ
What is the Durbar Hall Museum?
A museum in the old palace of the Nawabs of Junagadh, centred on the royal durbar hall and the court collection that accumulated around it.
What's on display?
Thrones, chandeliers, howdahs and palanquins, weapons, carpets, textiles and portraits of the Nawabi line.
Is there an entry fee?
Yes, a small ticket, and it is usually closed on Wednesdays — worth checking before you build a day around it.
Where is it?
In the old city of Junagadh, in the palace area, a short distance from Mahabat Maqbara.
How long should I spend?
About an hour covers the hall and collection comfortably.
Can I take photos?
Rules vary and a camera fee may apply; ask at the ticket desk on the day.
What's nearby?
Mahabat Maqbara's extraordinary mausoleums, Uparkot Fort, the Ashokan rock edicts and Girnar — Junagadh packs a remarkable amount into one small city.
Why visit?
Because it shows the courtly, human side of Nawabi Junagadh — the state whose accession drama in 1947 is a story most visitors only half know.
Related places across Gujarat
5Artist Village
Watch Warli artists paint tribal folklore
MUSEUMGandhi Smriti
A museum honouring Bhavnagar’s heritage
TOWNBarvala
An old market town of the region
WILDLIFERatanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary
A rugged refuge of the Indian sloth bear
Polo Jain Temples
Carved Jain ruins amid the jungle
Shamlaji Kartik Fair
Gujarat’s most spectacular tribal fair — the Kartiki Purnima at Shamlaji, when tens of thousands of…
WHERE TO STAY
Find your stay in Gujarat
Compare live prices across the big booking sites and reserve in a few taps. Booking happens securely on the partner's site — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Book directly on our partner sites — tap a provider to see live Gujarat hotels & prices:
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.
Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026