Museum sights in Nepal
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Gurkha Museum
Situated just north of Mahendra Pul, near the KI Singh Bridge, this well-curated museum displays the achievements of the famous Gurkha regiment. Accompanied by sound effects of machine-gun fire, it covers Gurkha history from the 19th-century Indian Mutiny, through two World Wars to current-day Afghanistan. There is a fascinating display outlining the stories of the 13 Gurkhas who’ve been awarded the Victoria Cross medal.
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Tribhuvan Museum
The part of the palace west of Nasal Chowk, overlooking the main Durbar Sq area, was constructed by the Ranas in the middle to late part of the 19th century. Ironically, it is now home to a museum that celebrates King Tribhuvan (ruled 1911-55) and his successful revolt against their regime, along with memorials to Kings Mahendra (1955-72) and Birendra (1972-2001).
Exhibits with names such as 'the Royal Babyhood' include some fascinating re-creations of the foppish king's bedroom and study, with genuine personal effects that give quite an eerie insight into his life. Some of the exhibits, like the king's favourite stuffed bird (looking a bit worse for wear these days!),…
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Pujari Math
There are 10 buildings around the square that were originally used as maths (Hindu monasteries).The best known was the Pujari Math. It was originally constructed in the 15th century during the reign of King Yaksha Malla, but was rebuilt in 1763. German experts renovated the building in 1979 as a wedding gift for the then King Birendra. Until the 20th century, an annual caravan brought tributes to the monastery from Tibet.
The Pujari Math is principally famed for the superb 15th-century peacock window, 30m down a small alley on the right-hand side. It is reputed to be the finest carved window in the valley and is the subject of countless postcards and photographs. The shop…
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Woodcarving Museum
The Pujari Math houses the small Woodcarving Museum, with some fine examples of Bhaktapur woodcarving displayed in dark, creaky rooms. There isn’t enough light to justify paying the camera fee, but it’s worth a visit, not least for the extravagantly carved windows in the inner courtyard. Head upstairs to see the mechanism that operates the window shutters. The same ticket covers entry to the nearby Brass & Bronze Museum and the National Art Gallery.
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E
International Mountain Museum
The newest cultural offering in Pokhara, the International Mountain Museum is devoted to the mountains of Nepal and the mountaineers who climbed them. Inside you can see original gear from many of the first Himalayan ascents, as well as displays on the history, culture, geology and flora and fauna of the Himalaya. The museum is south of the airstrip near the Himalaya Eye Hospital - a taxi from Lakeside will cost around NPR400 return.
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Tamu Kohibo Museum
This small but intriguing Tamu Kohibo Museum is dedicated to the culture and customs of the Gurung (Tamu) people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Pokhara Valley, who follow a mix of animist, Shamanistic and Bonist beliefs, brought here from Tibet in the days before Buddhism. To get here, cross the river via the small bridge just south of Mahendra Pul and head for the cluster of white towers on the side of the gorge.
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National Art Gallery
The western end of the palace contains Nepal’s National Art Gallery, the best of the three museums in Bhaktapur. The entrance to the gallery is flanked by two huge guardian lions, one male and one female (with almost human breasts). Beside the lions are some imposing 17th-century statues of Hanuman the monkey god, in his four-armed Tantric form, and Vishnu, as the gut-ripping Narsingha.
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Ethnographic Museum
If you have some time to kill while waiting for your visa extension, pop into the next-door tourism service centre and its Ethnographic Museum, which has a vaguely interesting collection of puppets, costumes and traditional crafts. There are grand plans (but no money as yet) to build a huge new ethnographic museum complex south of Kirtipur in the southern Kathmandu Valley.
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Patan Museum
Formerly the residence of the Malla kings, the section of the palace surrounding Keshav Narayan Chowk now houses one of the finest collections of religious art in Asia. Partly funded by the Austrian government, the Patan Museum is a national treasure, and a visit should form part of any trip to Patan’s Durbar Sq.
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Lumbini Museum
This museum is devoted to the life of the Buddha, with artefacts and photos from Buddhist sites around the world, from Kathmandu to Kandy. The building is an interesting contemporary design, with a series of brick cylindrical blocks fitted with large round windows.
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National Museum
Around 800m south of Swayambhunath at Chhauni, the National Museum faces onto a huge army barracks. The walled compound looks a little moth-eaten and overgrown, but there are some interesting treasures on display and the museum is never crowded.
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Pokhara Regional Museum
North of the bus station on the road to Mahendra Pul, this interesting little museum is devoted to the history and culture of the Pokhara Valley, including the mystical shamanic beliefs followed by the original inhabitants of the valley.
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Brass & Bronze Museum
Directly across the square, in an old math with lighting problems, is the Brass & Bronze Museum. It has some excellent examples of traditional metalwork, including ceremonial lamps and ritual vessels from around the valley.
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Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is devoted to the natural history of the Pokhara region. Local wildlife is represented by preserved specimens and some kooky-looking concrete models.
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