There existed originally six main palaces along the river front, with the Nahr-i-Bihisht (‘stream of paradise’) flowing through them. One of these to the north of the Mumtaz-Mahal, called Chhoti Baithak, has disappeared. The Mumtaz-Mahal is at the southern end of the extant row of palaces. Built with marble in its lower half of walls and pillars, it consists of six apartments divided by arched piers, and originally painted on the interior.

It formed part of the imperial seraglio. The Delhi Museum of Archaeology, consisting largely of exhibits of the Mughal period, is now housed inside it.