The museum was established in 1982 at the ground floor- Naubat Khana, also known as Jal Mahal, within the Taj Mahal complex. It is a double storied building with a quadrangle projection outside on a raised platform. The museum has three galleries in addition to the main hall exhibiting artefacts relating to construction of the Taj Mahal. With 121 antiquities on display, the broad categories of its repository are outlined as Mughal miniature paintings, manuscripts, Government decrees, calligraphy, arms, utensils, plans and drawings of Taj complex, paintings, inlay work and marble pillars to name a few.

About the collection: The main hall exhibits paintings of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal on ivory, encased in ornamental wooden frame, displayed alongwith replicas of coins minted in Agra. Paintings from Shahnama of Firdausi and a manuscript of Chaihl Majlis dated 1612 AD with Shah Jahan’s signature under the royal seal dated 4th February 1628 are also prominent displays. The plan, front elevation of the tomb and other details of Taj Mahal are also recorded in this museum. Copies of Shah Jahan’s farmans dated August 1632, addressed to Raja Jai Singh mentioning about the regular supply of makrana marble are exhibited. Works of art such as a Quran stand carved of Jade, an ornamented spouted Jade vase (lota), bowl and dishes of celadonware and arms like swords, daggers with a world map highlighting places from where stones were imported for inlay work of Taj Mahal, form core of this collection. Two paintings of Taj Mahal by British artist Daniel, painted in 1795 AD represent a major mention in this research.