National Museum of Nepal

Name: National Museum of Nepal
Address: Museum Marg, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal, काठमाडौँ महानगरपालिका, 44000, Nepal
Telephone: +977 1-5371478
Rating: 4.3

★★★★★ 4.3/5 (31,499 reviews) Very Good

About This Museum

Tucked away on Museum Marg in the vibrant heart of Kathmandu, the National Museum of Nepal feels like a quiet guardian of the country's soul. You can spend a morning wandering from rooms filled with ornately carved wooden temple struts and serene, thousand-year-old stone sculptures of Hindu deities to an entirely different world of natural history. One of the most fascinating sections for me was the armory, where you come face-to-face with the actual kukri knife carried by a Gurkha soldier, its blade telling silent stories of history. It’s a place that beautifully weaves together art, warfare, and the natural world under one roof.

Collection Highlights

Don't miss the incredible collection of historical weapons, including ceremonial cannons and legendary kukris. The Buddhist art gallery is a serene highlight, filled with exquisite bronze statues and intricate thangka paintings. Upstairs, you'll find a wonderfully old-school natural history section with everything from a massive elephant skeleton to carefully preserved butterflies.

Visitor Information

It's located just past Swayambhu on Museum Marg, so it's easy to combine a trip here with visiting the famous monkey temple. Be sure to check their opening days as they can sometimes close for national holidays, and keep some cash handy for the entrance fee.

Architecture & Building

The main building is a beautiful example of neoclassical design adapted to Nepal, featuring a grand white facade and elegant columns that give it a stately presence.