The name of David Sassoon is inscribed over the arch on the ground floor. He had donated a large sum (₹ 30,000) for building the clock tower. A Baghdadi Jew, David Sassoon (1792–1864) funded many educational institutions in Mumbai. Various charity trusts, that continue to exist today, were funded, by and named after him and other members of the Sassoon family.
The idea for setting up a museum was mooted in 1850 when preparations were underway for the ‘Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations’ to be held at the Crystal Palace in London (1851). The museum was established at Town Hall. With the transfer of power to Queen Victoria (1858), a meeting was called at Town Hall to raise funds for building a new museum.
The ground floor of David Sassoon Clock Tower is 12 sq. ft in area. The square base is open on all sides. The main entry is from the east, through a path leading from Jijamata Udyan. The west-facing entrance is also open. The north and south entrances have balustrades, preventing entry. Pairs of decorative colonettes flank the arched entrances on all sides.
The terracotta keystones on the ground floor arches at the David Sassoon Clock Tower depict the faces of the allegorical figures representing morning, evening, noon, and night, each facing one cardinal direction.
Wrought iron helical staircase leading to the upper level of David Sassoon clocktower. The staircase is sealed, and no one is allowed to climb the clock tower.
The original elephant, after which Elephanta Island was named by the Portuguese, is displayed outside Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The statue was originally at Rajabunder jetty on the south shore of Elephanta Island, formerly referred to as Gharapuri. In 1987, UNESCO declared Elephanta Island a World Heritage Site for its collection of Hindu cave temples.
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum was designed by William Tracey in the Neo-Palladian style that originated in Italy. From 2003–08, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in collaboration with the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation undertook extensive refurbishment of the building.
Victoria and Albert Museum opened on 2 May 1872 and was named in honor of Queen Victoria (1819–1901) and her consort, Prince Albert (1819–61). In 1975, the museum was renamed in honor of Dr. Bhau Daji Lad (1824-74), a Sanskrit scholar and polymath, who was the first Indian sheriff of Mumbai and played a key role in the establishment of the museum.
The David Sassoon Clock Tower was constructed by Messrs. Scott, McClelland and Co., who also completed the Victoria and Albert Museum after its architect William Tracey died. In both buildings, they used the Neo-Palladian style, lending architectural uniformity in the buildings. The ensemble of buildings at Jijamata Udyan, which includes the triple-arched gateway, are the only buildings in Mumbai where the Palladian architectural style was used.
Detail of arch and keystone with panels of Minto tiles and dressings of Blashfield's terracotta from Stamford, Lincolnshire. The David Sassoon Clock Tower is built from Porbandar stone, which was used in many public buildings of Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Bombay High Court, and Crawford Market.