Museums in the Kathmandu Valley - Part 2
Hanuman Dhoka Museum
The Hanuman Dhoka palace was built during the Licchavi period, around the 4th to 8th century, and it was expanded in the 17th century by king Pratap Malla. The main palace was constructed during the Malla period, and the rest of it was later constructed by the Ranas.
Surviving through the earthquake of 1934 and 2015, after multiple reconstructions, today, it stands tall with the integrity of its history and is now turned into Hanuman Dhoka Museum. In the entrance, a more than three hundred years old statue of Hanuman is situated as a symbol of protection. The main courtyard after the entrance of the museum is Nasal Chowk. This extravagant area used to be the place that held coronations for the former Kings. With that, the Narsingha Statue, the statue of Lord Vishnu in its man-lion form is located that was built by King Pratap Malla in 1673. In the Galleries of the museum lies the age-old objects and artefacts from the Licchavi dynasty to the Malla dynasty to the Shah dynasty. It is situated in the heart of the Kathmandu Durbar Square in Kathmandu Valley.
Bhaktapur Museum
The ancient city of Bhaktapur is built with centuries-old rich architecture among its bricked temples, palaces and is home to three museums, out of which the National Museum is one of the most significant museums in the valley.
Tucked in between two serene statues of lions, The National art museum was opened, formally as a palace, in 1980 by King Bhupatindra Malla. Later, in 1960, it was set up as the National art gallery by the Government of Nepal. For centuries, this palace, now a museum, has been the hub for medieval and Licchavi art and history. This tiny haven of wonders, although covering a small area, encompasses the collection of manuscripts and chronicles coming from the 11th century. It also holds on to ancient paubha paintings, Hindu versions of Thangka paintings along with classic paintings of deities, gods, and goddesses surviving the age of time. The gallery is also lined up with portraits of all the Shah Kings until the end of the monarchy. This museum is located at the west entrance of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu Valley.
National Museum
Once known as ‘Chhauni Silkhana’ meaning ‘the stone house of arms and ammunitions’, was established in 1928. The National Museum or the Chhauni Museum is one of the most popular museums of the country that has been a major attraction to re-living through the incidents and artefacts of the wider history.
The courtyard of the building once was used as a space to worship and perform rituals during the time of Dashain as a symbol of purity. The starting attraction of the museum is the historical artworks in the form of sculptures, murals, and paintings that are out up in the gallery.
Different weapons used in the wars of the 18th to 19th century are also displayed. This museum also safeguards natural historical artefacts of different animals, reptiles, and insect species as well. Not only that, but this museum is also the home to moon rocks collected from the moon, the mandibular bones of the whale that is the largest mammal in the world, a fossil of reptiles from the Jurassic period, and many more. It stands as a symbol of national history and artefacts, showcasing astonishing objects and moments of a different time.This museum is located in Chhauni, Kathmandu Valley.