Himalayan Tibet Museum

The beauty of the Himalayas and its surrounding regions is undoubtedly incomparable but little is known about the Himalayan culture and its ethnic background. The Himalayan Tibet Museum in Darjeeling offers immense insight into the culture, religion, and ethnicity of the Tibetan community with a striking collection of exhibits and artifacts and a plethora of information on the Tibetan culture.

About the Museum

One of the newest museums in Darjeeling, the Himalayan Tibet Museum was inaugurated on 2nd July 2015 by the revered Tibetan Guru Gurung Tulku NimaHoisher Rinpoche. The museum was inaugurated on the 80th birth anniversary of His Holiness Dalai Lama and showcases the vibrant culture and diversity of the Tibetan community through numerous exhibits and artifacts.

The museum is known and is popular for its diverse range of artifacts because it mainly focuses on the history and culture of the Tibetans, unlike the other Tibetan museums which focus on the religious aspects. The museum is located on the ground floor of Manjushree Centre, a non-profit organization, and is constructed on the theme of Chinese occupied Tibet. One of the most striking and beautiful exhibits in the museum is a 3-dimensional model of the Himalayas and the plateaus while many other artifacts have been gifted to the museum by Dalai Lama himself including a statue of Buddha, diamond sutra text which is written in golden colored ink, prayer bells, etc. You will also get an insight into the ancient developments of Tibet and its first king NyatriTsenpo who reigned from127 BC and distinguished Tibetologists such as Alexander Csoma De Koros - the first one to transcribe a dictionary and grammars in the Tibetan language.

Some other major highlights of the museum comprise a splendid replica of Potala Palace (a fortress in Lhasa of Tibet and used to be a winter place for Dalai Lama), seats of Dalai Lama, and of the government in Tibet that existed before the Chinese invaded the place in 1959, musical instruments found in the Himalayan regions like Rahebera (Kashmiri violin), Dra-yen (Tibetan guitar), Sarangi, and Madal, along with the traditional clothes worn by the people and some utensils are also on display. A visit to this museum will give you an immense sense of peace and insight into the Himalayan culture which includes comprises the Tibetan culture that the museum intends to promote.