Mukhi House in Hyderabad is a three-storey family mansion built around 1920 by Jethanand Mukhi, a wealthy Sindhi Hindu community leader, and restored by the Sindh government as a museum. It stands near Pakka Qila in the old city and mixes Renaissance-style columns with Art Deco and Art Nouveau detail, stained glass and carved woodwork. It is one of the best surviving pieces of pre-Partition Hyderabad you can walk inside, and an easy hour or two to add to a day in the city.
This guide covers who built Mukhi House, what happened to it after 1947, what you see inside, and what to check before you go.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Near Pakka Qila, old Hyderabad, Sindh |
| Built | About 1920 (some sources say 1921) by Jethanand Mukhi |
| Style | Renaissance, Art Deco and Art Nouveau elements |
| Restoration | Began 2009, led by Dr Kaleemullah Lashari |
| Now | Museum run by the Sindh Antiquities Department |
| Time needed | One to two hours |
| Hours and fee | Not officially published; check before you go |
Who built Mukhi House?
Jethanand Mukhi built the house as his family home. Arab News describes him as a Hindu politician and philanthropist, and the family were among the prominent households of colonial Hyderabad. Most sources, including a 2015 Dawn report on the handover, date the house to 1920, while Arab News gives 1921.
Before Partition the house was a social and political meeting place. Visitors are said to have included Jawaharlal Nehru, whom Arab News dates to 1931, and Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Sindh's chief minister before Partition.
What happened after Partition?
Partition eventually forced the family to leave; Wikipedia says they had vacated the house by 1957. The property then passed through the Evacuee Trust Property Board and other government bodies, and for a time it housed a girls' school. Years of misuse and neglect left it in poor condition.
The Sindh Antiquities Department began restoring it in 2009 under the archaeologist Dr Kaleemullah Lashari. According to Arab News, the work involved finding matching tiles, recreating stained glass and training craftsmen, and was finished around 2013. In 2013 the Mukhi family, now living in India, visited the house and handed it to the Sindh government on condition that it became a museum. Dawn reported in August 2015 that the culture department had taken possession and set aside Rs25 million for repair and conversion. Wikipedia gives 2020 as the year it opened to the public as a museum.
What is the architecture like?
The house is topped by a dome. Zameen's description, drawn from its local history, lists 12 rooms, two courtyards and two large halls, with stone from Jodhpur, doors and window panels of sheesham and teak, and fine stonework carved by craftsmen from Jaipur.
Inside, look for:
- Corinthian columns and frescoed walls in the main rooms
- Mosaic and patterned tile floors, matched during the restoration
- Stained glass windows and an Italian-style cupola
- Carved wooden galleries and a marble staircase
- The library and the courtyards, which show how a large joint family lived around open space in the Hyderabad heat
The mix of styles is typical of wealthy Sindhi homes of the 1920s, when merchant families travelled widely and built in a European idiom with local craftsmen.
What's inside the museum?
The museum tells the family's story rather than displaying archaeology. The rooms hold family photographs and personal objects that show the Mukhis' way of life and their standing in the city. Expect a house museum: you walk from room to room and the building itself is the main exhibit. The Sindh Antiquities Department also hosts a virtual tour on its website if you want to look before you go.
Where is Mukhi House and how do you get there?
Mukhi House is in the old city close to Pakka Qila, the 18th-century fort, and the national heritage register even lists a nearby building as standing on the "road to Mukhi House from Pakka Qila". From Hyderabad railway station or the Shahi Bazaar area it is a short rickshaw ride; the lanes are narrow and busy, so a rickshaw or walking is easier than a car. Ask for Mukhi House near Pakka Qila and most drivers will know it.
It pairs naturally with Pakka Qila and a walk through Shahi Bazaar, all within the same old-city area. Our list of places to visit in Hyderabad, Sindh and the Hyderabad itinerary show how to fit it into a full day.
Opening hours and entry fee
We could not confirm current opening hours or the ticket price from an official source, so we are not printing figures. Before you go, call the Sindh Directorate General of Antiquities and Archaeology on +92-21-99212126, or ask at the gate; bring cash in small notes in case a fee applies.
Is Mukhi House worth visiting?
Yes, if you like old buildings, family history or the story of Sindh before Partition. It is the rare heritage house in Pakistan that has been properly restored and opened rather than left to collapse, and it gives a human scale to the city's Hindu past that the forts and tombs do not. Families with children who expect exhibits and interactive displays may find it quiet. If you only have an hour in Hyderabad, the Sindh Museum gives a broader picture of the province; if you have half a day, see both. More heritage ideas are on our experiences page.
Frequently asked questions
Who built Mukhi House in Hyderabad?
Jethanand Mukhi, a leading Sindhi Hindu figure in colonial Hyderabad, built it as his family home around 1920.
When did Mukhi House become a museum?
Restoration began in 2009 and was largely complete by about 2013, when the family handed the house to the Sindh government. Wikipedia gives 2020 as the year it opened to the public as a museum.
Did Nehru visit Mukhi House?
Yes, Jawaharlal Nehru is recorded as a visitor while the family lived there; Arab News dates his visit to 1931.
Where is Mukhi House located?
In the old city of Hyderabad, Sindh, close to Pakka Qila and Shahi Bazaar.
What are the timings and ticket price?
They are not officially published online. Call the Sindh Antiquities Department on +92-21-99212126 or check at the gate before planning your visit around it.
