National Museum

Lonely Planet review

At the top of the hill above Paro Dzong is an old watchtower that was renovated in 1968 to house the National Museum. The unusual round building is said to be in the shape of a conch shell, with 2.5m thick walls; it was completed in 1656 and was originally the ta dzong (watchtower) of Paro Dzong. There is said to be an underground tunnel that leads from the watchtower to the water supply below.

There is a specific route to follow through the entire building that ensures that you walk clockwise around important images. Cameras are not allowed inside the museum but you can photograph the grounds. The museum is an attraction for locals as well as tourists and you may be accompanied by Bhutanese from remote villages or groups of school children on an outing.

You start off on the fourth floor with a description of early history that perfectly illustrates how magic and science are inseparable in Bhutan. Early stone implements are described as the weapons of the naga (snake) spirits; early rock carvings and inscriptions are labelled as 'self-created'.

The fifth floor has an impressive collection of thangkas , both ancient and modern, depicting all of Bhutan's important saints and teachers. The sixth floor reveals the eclecticism of Bhutan's philatelic collection, including some stamps that you can listen to on a record player.

At the end of the gallery a doorway leads to the Tshozhing Lhakhang, the Temple of the Tree of Wisdom, a complex four-sided carving depicting the history of Buddhism, with its schools and lineages. The four branches represent the Sakya (with images of Sakyamuni), Nyingma (Guru Rinpoche), Gelug (Atisha, Tsongkhapa and Nagarjuna) and Drukpa Kagyu (Channa Dorje, Marpa, Milarepa, Naropa and Tilopa) lineages. Clean your shoes on the yak-hair squares when entering the temple and walk clockwise around the room.

Back down on the fifth floor is the Namse Lhakhang, with a collection of religious statues and stone carvings. The lower-floor galleries highlight teapots, clothes, musical instruments, stuffed animals, religious ritual objects and a display of ancient weapons and shields, many captured during various Tibetan invasions. Look out for the astrological water clock, rhino shield, frog-skin saddle and fish-scale hat! Displays even show you how to make a poisoned arrow from the mangsut flower. It's great stuff.

After visiting, you can walk down a path from the museum to the dzong and back to the town, enjoying good views of the valley and of Ugyen Pelri Palace.