BOMBAY'S Prince of Wales Museum is one of the few in the country that maintains a gallery devoted to maritime history. The gallery is a repository of models, original charts and artefacts that catch the eye of even the casual visitor.

The Indian Navy launched a floating museum on the history of the Indian mariner from the Harappan civilisation to the British port of Bombay. The floating museum attracted a record number of visitors and now occupies a gallery at the Prince of Wales museum. Says curator Kalpana Desai, "We took the floating museum to Mauritius, where it was outshone only by the fashion show."

There are plans to set up a full-fledged maritime museum, which, according to Ashok Jain of the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, will not only preserve but also educate people about Indian sea history. Unless, however, land and money are forthcoming for the Rs 10-crore project, the plan will languish like a dead letter of intent.