Mumbai has one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings in the world, and most visitors walk straight past them. Built mainly in the 1930s and 1940s, when the city was booming and new money wanted a modern look, the apartment blocks, cinemas and offices along Marine Drive and around the Oval Maidan combine streamlined curves, rounded balconies, porthole windows, geometric friezes and pastel colours with Indian touches such as ornamental motifs and local craftsmanship. The ensemble is recognised by UNESCO together with the city’s Victorian Gothic buildings, and it gives South Mumbai a character quite different from the colonial monuments. A guided Art Deco walk is the easiest way to read the streetscape, because the guide points out details you would never notice alone, tells the stories of the architects and families who built these blocks and explains how the style travelled to Mumbai from Europe and America. It is a relaxed, photogenic way to see the city.
How to visit
The Art Deco buildings are concentrated in the area between Churchgate, Marine Drive and the Oval Maidan in South Mumbai, so a walk is easy to fit around other sights nearby. You can wander the streets yourself, but a guided walk adds a great deal, as most of the buildings are private apartments and the details are subtle. Walks usually run in the morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft and the temperature gentler, and they take around two hours at an easy pace.
What to expect
The guide will usually point out the curved corners, the streamlined balconies, the geometric panels and the pastel paintwork, and explain how different architects adapted the style. The old cinemas are often a highlight, with their sweeping facades and lettering from another era. You will see the sweep of Marine Drive’s apartment blocks from street level, and you may pause at the Oval Maidan, where cricket is played every day and the Victorian Gothic buildings stand opposite the Art Deco ones, a contrast that explains much of South Mumbai’s architecture.
Because most of the buildings are lived in, you will be viewing from the outside and the guide will advise on what can be photographed.
Making the most of it
Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and go in the cooler months if you can. Combine the walk with a sunset on Marine Drive, or with the Fort district’s Victorian buildings, to see the two great styles of the city side by side. Take a camera with a decent zoom, as many of the best details are on upper floors, and look up as you walk.
Who it suits
Architecture and design lovers, photographers and curious first-timers who want to see something beyond the standard sights. It is especially rewarding for anyone who has already done the Gateway of India and the museum and wants a different view of the city. Pavements can be uneven and crowded, so allow a little extra time.
Why it is worth your time
Art Deco gives Mumbai a second identity beside its Victorian one, and the contrast is part of the city’s story. The buildings tell of a confident, cosmopolitan city in the years before independence, when cinemas were the new temples of entertainment and a modern apartment on the sea was the height of ambition. Once you have learned to spot the curves, the porthole windows and the pastel stripes, you will notice them everywhere in the south of the city.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walk through the Art Deco streets of Marine Drive, the Oval Maidan and the old cinemas, with the stories behind the buildings.
Best time
Morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft and the temperature gentler, in the cooler months from November to February.
How long
About two hours at an easy pace.
Tips
Look up for the details on upper floors, wear comfortable shoes, bring water and respect the privacy of residents.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Architecture lovers, photographers and anyone who wants Mumbai beyond the headline monuments.
- Families
- Best with older children, as it is mostly looking and walking in the heat.
- Couples
- A relaxed late-afternoon walk that can lead straight into a Marine Drive sunset.
- Pair with
- Marine Drive at sunset, or the Victorian Gothic streets of the Fort district.
- Time needed
- Two hours.
Good questions
Where are Mumbai’s Art Deco buildings?+
Most are in South Mumbai, along Marine Drive, around the Oval Maidan and near Churchgate. The area is compact and walkable.
Is Mumbai’s Art Deco a World Heritage site?+
UNESCO recognises the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles of Mumbai together. The Art Deco buildings are mostly private apartments and cinemas, viewed from the street.
When were the Art Deco buildings built?+
Mainly in the 1930s and 1940s, during a building boom in Mumbai. Architects blended European and American Art Deco with Indian motifs.
Can you go inside the Art Deco buildings?+
Most are private homes, so you view them from the outside. Some cinemas and public spaces can be visited, and your guide will advise.
How long does an Art Deco walk take?+
About two hours at an easy pace. It is easy to extend with a stop at the Oval Maidan or a Marine Drive sunset.
