A neoclassical building completed in 1833, designed by Colonel Thomas Cowper of the Bombay Engineers. The long facade with fluted Doric columns and three porticos was considered one of the finest examples of colonial architecture in India. It houses the Asiatic Society of Mumbai and its library, which contains rare manuscripts and early printed books. Located in the Fort area near the Gateway of India.
The Asiatic Society's reading room on the upper floor is worth a visit if you can gain access -- the collection includes over 100,000 volumes, some dating back centuries. A broad stone staircase leads up to it, flanked by statues. The building sits at the edge of Horniman Circle, one of the Fort district's most attractive open spaces.