A brush with conservation

Pics/Pradeep Dhivar, Atul Kamble

It's a thought that is sure to have crossed the mind of many a museum buff when they gaze at a collection on display. What's the back-story of an artefact? How did it arrive at the museum? How was it saved from damage and made museum-ready?

Mid-day and the most talented names in conservation are readying to answer your questions at the second edition of Walk with mid-day, a series of curated heritage tours conducted by senior journalists from our newsroom. As experts on everything Mumbai, we believe that we are in a position to offer one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences to our readers. And this time around, you are getting an all-access pass to the heart of Mumbai's most prominent museum, the Conservation Centre of Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS).

After a cracker debut edition of Walk with mid-day in October, where readers were taken to the resting place of Mumbai's earliest architects at the Sewri Christian Cemetery, this edition will take you into the innards of the museum where exhibits and displays are restored, preserved and brought back to life by expert conservationists, using the most modern and least invasive techniques.

The walk will open with an introduction about the historicity of CSMVS by Fiona Fernandez, mid-day features editor and author of Ten Heritage Walks of Mumbai, followed by a session with the experts at the Conservation Centre as they take lucky readers into their private, wondrous world. Expect plenty of 'wow' moments regarding the museum's prized treasures.

The hour-long walk will be held on January 4, Saturday.

So that we gather just the right bunch who appreciates history enough to spare a precious weekend, we are inviting interested readers to take this simple quiz. The first lot to answer all the questions correctly stands the chance to join us on the free walk.

The quiz

1) Where is the original statue of the Kala Ghoda located?
2) Which railway station on the Harbour Line has a direct connect with Mumbai's naval history?
3) Which of these two temples is closer to Wilson College: Babulnath or Siddhivinayak?
4) In Dadar TT junction, what does 'TT' stand for?
5) Which church in South Mumbai stands near Horniman Circle?

There are rules

• Send in your entries by December 27, 9 pm.
• Send in your full name, age, address, profession and contact number to mailbag@mid-day.com
• Team mid-day's decision on the winners will be final.
• Details of the walk will be shared with the final participants over a call.

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