Museums & Art Galleries
Tribhuvan Museum at the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kathmandu Durbar Square highlights the life of King Tribhuvan (1906-1955) who helped free the country from the Rana regime. The gallery displays rare photographs and paintings of other Shah rulers. Of special interest are the personal effects of the late king such as his bicycle, photographic equipment including boxes of Kodak chemicals. The gallery also has photos depicting the funeral of the king. The Mahendra Museum sheds light on the life of late King Mahendra (1955-1972). Displays include his personal belongings such as his imported clothes, decorations, gifts and his literary creations. Both the museums can be visited with one ticket.
The Patan Museum is a remarkable example of successful restoration work. Part of the old palace built by the Malla dynasty, it has a resplendent gilded door facing the fabulous Krishna Mandir in the Durbar Square. It showcases superb pieces of metal sculpture especially in the statuettes that have been painstakingly restored by a project jointly undertaken by the Austrian and Nepali governments.
The exhibits cover a long span of Nepal's cultural history and some rare objects like the Malla era throne are among its treasures. The significance of much of the artifacts within the living traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism are explained here. Some objects such as cast bronzes and gilt copper repoussé pieces represent the finest of Nepal’s metal work from the past centuries. Metal craft of this nature is a living tradition in Patan. The artistry of metal craft has been handed down from generation to generation and Patan is still famous for its statue making.
From an existing national collection comprising more than 1500 objects, some 300 were selected for permanent exhibition here. A majority of exhibits are sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities that were created in the Kathmandu Valley, many in the nearby workshops of Patan itself. Other objects include those that originated in India, Tibet and the western Himalayan regions. They are accompanied by written commentary by scholar and author Mary Slusser (of ‘Nepal Mandala’ fame) that attempts to explain their artistic, spiritual and historical significance as part of the cultural heritage of Nepal. The exhibits are also designed to assist in interpreting the living culture that lies beyond the museum's walls.
National Art gallery: The National Art Gallery which occupies a part of the Bhaktapur Palace was established by the Government of Nepal, Department of Archaeology in 1960. This museum was founded to preserve and showcase traditional paintings of Nepal. The collection may not be very large but includes invaluable paubhas (Nepali religious scroll paintings) and manuscripts that date back centuries and also houses centuries old sculptures.
Stone Art Section: The Stone Art section of the gallery is on the ground floor beside the main entrance of the Gallery. Some stone inscriptions date back to the time of Lichhavi King Shiva Deva and King Yaksha Malla in 1468 A.D. There are some remarkable stone sculptures. The stone sculptures here are mostly from the Bhaktapur area and represent early medieval to medieval stone art of Nepal. The four-faced Shivalinga, Harihar, Surya, Chandrama, Vishnu, Tara, Ardhanariswar and some architectural fragments are worth mentioning. An intriguing piece of sculpture is the stone idol of Harishanker recovered from the temple that was destroyed by the earthquake of 1934. This idol is a combination of Shiva and Vishnu and thus holds symbols of both the gods.
Painting Section: The first floor is dedicated to paintings both as paubhas and manuscripts. The paubhas in particular are remarkable. Among these, Vasundhara Mandala, Ganesh with Shakti, Mahisa Sambhara, Vajra Yogini and Shiva Viswarupa are of great significance. In the main exhibition hall, there are five showcases in the middle of the room that contain some ancient illustrated manuscripts and covers of immense value. One among them depicts the pilgrimage tour of King Pratap Malla. Some of the other notable artifacts are the manuscripts of 11th Century Vishnu Dasavatara and the 13th Century manuscript cover of Shiva Dharma Purana. In this section, there is a rectangular room resembling a corridor, of which the northern wall painting facing south has rows of paintings all with captions depicting Shiva Viswarupa, who is multi-armed and multi-headed. The long corridors showcase watercolors of the aquatic world, mythical dragons, various birds, bulls etc. They are the best representations of medieval folk art of Nepal.
The Woodcarving Museum, Dattatreya Square: The old Pujari Math has been converted into a Woodcarving Museum and is located at the Dattatreya Square about a ten minute walk from the Durbar Square. The Pujari Math is considered one of the oldest maths (dwelling of a priest) in the Kathmandu Valley. The museum has courtyards decorated with exquisitely carved windows and pillars. The Mara Vijaya, Pooja Devi, Viswaroop and Aryatara are magnificent specimens of woodcarving of the past centuries. The museum was restored some years ago by a German project which has captioned most of the artifacts.
The Brass & Bronze Museum: The metalwork section known as the Brass & Bronze Museum is housed opposite the Woodcarving Museum. This section showcases brass and bronze metal ware that were extensively used by nobility and their Newar subjects in the previous century and early 20th century. Objects used for religious purposes such as kalash and incense stands are noteworthy. Of much interest are the spittoons used by kings and other noblemen. Religious and ritual objects of the Newar community make up the bulk of the exhibition here.
NATIONAL MUSEUM - CHAUNI, SWYAMBHU, KATHMANDU:
One of the most interesting museums is the National Museum of Nepal in Chauni near Swyambhu, which was established in 1928 as an Arsenal Museum in a historical building constructed during the premiership of General Bhimsen Thapa. The museum was initially known as Chhauni Silkhana which literally means "the stone house of arms and ammunitions". It was opened as a public museum in the year 1938 by the then Prime Minister Juddha Shumshere JBR who made it possible for Nepalis to visit the museum paying very little as entrance fee. He also established the art museum and named it after himself ‘Juddha Jatiya Kalashala’. Until then the only people who had access to this wonderful collection of art had been visiting scholars/dignitaries and invitees or guests of the Rana Prime Minister. Later in 1967, during the reign of King Mahendra, it was renamed Rashtriya Sangrahalaya, the National Museum of Nepal.
There are three buildings within the museum premises: The main historical building, Juddha Jatiya Kalashala and the Buddhist Art Gallery.
NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM - SWYAMBHUNATH, KATHMANDU:
Before the establishment of the Natural History Museum (NHM), specimens collected by foreign scientific expeditions were allowed to be taken out of the country for lack of a proper repository facility in Nepal. As a consequence, much of the scientific research in the natural history of Nepal was done in other countries. Nepali scientists, students, and teachers had limited access to the information on their own country's natural inheritance. The museum was established in 1975 with the objective of serving as a research and education facility in Nepal for foreign and Nepali scientists, students and teachers. The museum was built on the premises of the former Ananda Kuti Campus. Today, it houses about 40,000 zoological specimens, 7,000 botanical specimens, 400 fossils and 100 skeletons.
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM - BHRIKUTIMANDAP, KATHMANDU:
After you've had your fill of gazing at mountains, inspecting monuments and checking out the local markets for souvenirs, there's nothing like browsing around the museums for some quiet moment of relaxation. One such museum is the National Ethnographic Museum which presents a kaleidoscopic image of Nepal to visitors. This museum showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Nepali people which tourists and Nepalis can see right here in the heart of the capital. Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal National Ethnographic museum has set up a permanent exhibition of eleven different ethnic communities namely: Thakali, Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Rai, Limbu, Chepang, Jyapu of the Newar group, Magar, Sunwar, and Tharu, in the diorama hall at the Tourist Service Center in Bhrikutimandap.
The Museum aims to function as a living resource center to inform and educate both Nepali and foreign visitors/tourists interested in knowing and learning about Nepal's architecture and culture (customs, lifestyles and occupation).
INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN MUSEUM - POKHARA:
While in Pokhara make it a point to visit the International Mountain Museum (IMM) that records, documents, exhibits and chronicles the past and the present development of mountains and mountaineering activities in the world. Built by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), much support was received from various mountaineering clubs and associations as well as individual donors from around the world. The museum primarily provides information and exhibits everything related to Man, Mountain and Mountain activities from around the world. The museum is divided into two sections namely: Mountain People and Mountain.
Hall of Mountain People: This hall showcases the customs, traditions, heritage, culture and way of life of the mountain peoples.
Hall of World Mountains: This hall introduces visitors to all fourteen peaks over 8000 m. (known as eight-thousanders) and geological facts about the origin of the world mountain systems. The hall also displays and explains the flora and fauna of the Himalayan region. A section of the museum is dedicated to prominent personalities such as Kumar Khadga Bikrum Shah (founder president of NMA), Dr. Toni Hagen (Renowned geologist who published the first pictorial on the country entitled "Nepal"), Reverend Kawaguchi Ekai (The first Japanese who entered Nepal in 1899), and Dr. Harka Gurung (Renowned scholar, geographer, writer, development planner and first Tourism Minister of Nepal).
Hall of Mountain Activities: This display dwells on the historical ascents and explorations in and around the mountainous regions, trekking etc. The exhibition also showcases the development of climbing gear and the usual equipments required for mountaineering.
LUMBINI MUSEUM - LUMBINI:
The Lumbini Museum, located in the Cultural Zone in the terai has on display, Mauryan and Kushana coins, religious manuscripts, terracotta fragments, and stone and metal sculptures. It also possesses an extensive collection of stamps from various countries depicting Lumbini and the Buddha.
Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI), located opposite the Lumbini Museum, provides research facilities for the study of Buddhism and religion in general. Run jointly by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) and the Reiyukai of Japan, LIRI has some 12,000 valuable books on religion, philosophy, art and architecture.
Kapilvastu Museum is situated 27 km west of Lumbini in the village of Tilaurakot. The museum has on display coins, pottery and toys dating from the 7th Century B.C. to 4th Century A.D. The museum also showcases a very good collection of jewelry and other ornaments of that period.
NEPAL ASSOCIATION OF FINE ARTS - KATHMANDU:
Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA) was founded in 1965 under the chairmanship of late King Birendra while he was crown prince. The establishment of this association and the patronage of the king was the beginning of a renaissance of sorts in the Nepali art world. Most of Nepal’s top artists are members of this association and many maintain their studios within its walls. The Birendra Gallery holds a permanent exhibition while various exhibitions are held in the other halls through the year.
NEPAL NATIONAL LIBRARY - LALITPUR:
The Nepal National Library was first established in 1957 at Singha Durbar with the personal collection of the king’s Preceptor, the late Hem Raj Pandey. It was later moved to its present location at the Harihar Bhawan in Pulchowk, Lalitpur. At the outset, the library had an impressive collection of 43,000 books and periodicals, including those brought in as a result of the amalgamation of the Central Secretariat Library. The library has an impressive collection of more than 82,000 books, documents and periodicals in different languages including Nepali, English, Sanskrit, and others. Copies of old newspapers have also been well archived here.
KAISER LIBRARY - KATHMANDU:
The famous Kaiser Library consists mostly of Kaiser Shumshere Rana’s vast collection of more than 45,000 books and magazines that cover an amazing number of topics such as astrology, law, gardening, history, art, hunting, religion and philosophy besides literary works of the world’s greatest writers, dictionaries and encyclopedias. Of special interest are also the numerous wall maps that depict Europe and other regions during the early 20th century.
During the last days of the Rana regime Kaiser Shumshere was a Field Marshal in the Nepalese army. From an early age, Kaiser Shumshere had been interested in buying and collecting different types of books and newspapers. On his visit to England with his father Maharaja Chandra Shumshere, he was very impressed by the ruling system of England and also by the library system and the proper management of books there. He brought a large number of books from England. Even though the books in his library grew in number they were his personal property and out of reach of ordinary people. Access to the library was limited to members of his family, important people of the nation and special visitors from abroad. However, before his death in 1964, he bequeathed his library to the government, thereby making it a national property. Besides his invaluable collection, the library also features current newspapers and magazine for daily visitors.
ASHA ARCHIVES - KATHMANDU:
The Asha Archives is a public library of Nepali manuscripts, named after the late Asha Man Singh Kansakar, father of the late Prem Bahadur Kansakar (1917-1991). Mr. Kansakar was a prominent activist, social worker, educationist and Newar writer who had founded several social, cultural, literary and educational institutions. The nucleus of this collection was donated by Prem Bahadur Kansakar to Cwasa Pasa, a premier literacy association of Newar writers on 16th August 1985. To this personal collection were later added the donations of valuable manuscripts and palm leaf documents by several well-wishers and friends.
The Asha Archive was inaugurated on 7th December 1987 and opened to the public. The Toyota Foundation’s generous grant made it possible to purchase and furnish the house where it is now located. The Foundation also supported the documentation of the manuscripts and the initial operation of the archive with a fund deposited as seed money and endowment.
The Collections: The archive has several valuable collections of palm leaf, loose leaf pothi and folded manuscripts. There are more than 6,700 manuscripts and about 1100 palm leaf land grant documents. These manuscripts belong to various sects and genres written in different languages and scripts. Largest among these are the ritual texts, medical texts, manuals of magic and necromancy, astrology/astronomy, Vedic, Puranic and Tantric texts of Shaiva, Bauddha and Shakta sects. A large number of manuscripts also belong to the Mahayana and Vajrayana sects. Of special interest are technical and symbolic drawings and architectural designs of religious and secular structures, painted covers, and book illustrations of great beauty and design. However, the most valuable of the archive’s possessions are the literary texts, hymns, songs, plays, popular narratives, didactic tales and Buddhist avadanas in the Newari language. Remarkable specimens of beautiful calligraphy can be seen in Nepalbhasa, Maithili, and Nepali language, rendered in plain black ink, silver and golden letters.
The archive also has a collection of nearly all Nepalbhasa books in print, journals, magazines and newspapers in the Nepalbhasa. There is also a small Nepal collection, consisting of books on Nepal in English and other languages which will be of interest for study and research on the culture and heritage of the Nepal Valley. The Asha Archives is located on the western edge of old Kathmandu, in the locality known as Kulanbhulu, opposite Raktakali on the way to Swoyambhu.
PRIVATE ART GALLERIES:
There are many private art galleries in Kathmandu that have played a major part in uplifting Nepali art in recent years. Among them Siddhartha Art Gallery in Baber Mahal Revisited and Indigo Art Gallery in Naxal have played significant roles in bringing art to the forefront. The other galleries of note are The Art Shop in Durbar Marg, Park Gallery in Lazimpat and Pulchowk.