On top of a hill in the Shillong district of Mawlai, the unique Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures (dbcic.org; ₹100) does a magnificent job of representing life in the seven sister states by reflecting on the role of religion, science and nature on the cultural practices of the region's 250 indigenous cultural communities.
Housed in a whimsical building with a daring skywalk strapped to the roof tiles, the five-story museum explores India's role in the space race, covers the region's key industries and crops – including the special place of bamboo as "nature's gift to the Northeast" – and provides a helpful summary of the region's main religions. One floor is reserved for telling the story of Don Bosco, the Christian missionary and saint from Italy whose legacy includes the largest number of technical schools in India.
A self-guided visit takes about 1½ hours. The museum is 3km north of the city center; a return taxi costs about ₹400.
