Akbari Fort & Museum

Akbari Fort & Museum is located in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, and serves as a significant historical museum housing collections of Mughal and Rajput artifacts. The fort was constructed in 1570 under the commission of Mughal Emperor Akbar, primarily to honor the Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti. The structure functioned both as a military fortification to support advancing Mughal armies and as a palatial residence where Emperor Akbar could rest during his visits to Ajmer. The fort was also home to Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir.

The site holds considerable historical importance in the context of British-Indian relations. It was from this location that Emperor Jahangir issued a firman granting the British East India Company permission to trade with India. Additionally, the fort was the venue for a significant meeting between Jahangir and Sir Thomas Roe, a milestone encounter that shaped the course of British presence in the Indian subcontinent.

Today, the museum, also known as Rajputana Museum, is operated by the Department of Archaeology and Museums under the Government of Rajasthan. The museum's collections have been enriched through generous contributions from royal households and local chieftains, complemented by archaeological artifacts discovered in the region. The museum was formally inaugurated on October 19th during the early twentieth century, making it an important repository of the region's cultural and historical heritage.