Museums of Bhutan

22/09/2026

Thruebab Tashi Delek

On the auspicious occasion of Blessed Rainy Day, may the gentle rains bring renewal, prosperity, and peace to all. ✨️💐

17/09/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

📌The National Museum will remain closed to visitors on 18 September 2026 in observance of the Paro Drupchen celebration.

📌The Museum will resume its regular services thereafter.

📌We regret any inconvenience caused and thank you for your kind understanding.

10/09/2026

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

That's a wrap on the Advanced Digital Imaging for Conservation and Collections Management Workshop and Training Program by HiPS (Hidden in Plain Sight) Team

Day Two, held on 1st September 2026, moved from theory into practice with a full day of hands-on, immersive learning packed with practical sessions and question-and-answer discussions.

Participants were divided into 4 groups and rotated through sessions led by our incredible facilitators:

-Dr. Ayesha Fuentes facilitated Collections Risk Management

-Dr. David Mills presented on Advanced Digital Imaging and Analysis, along with a session on Spectrometry

-Mr. Maciej Pawlikowski focused on Photography and Imaging

-Ms. Merina Tuladhar facilitated Advanced Documentation Techniques

-Professor Eyal Poleg brought it all together, facilitating across sessions with Interpretation of Objects with Heritage Science

Later, the facilitators visited the Textile Museum lab to continue the sessions of advanced digital imaging and analysis.

All in all, the sessions were interactive, fun, and thoroughly engaging the perfect close to a wonderful 1-and-a-half-day program.

Huge thanks to our facilitators from Cambridge University Library, Cambridge University and Queen Mary University of London, and to every participant who brought their energy and curiosity along the way.

31/08/2026

Day One of Advanced Digital Imaging for Conservation and Collection Management Workshop & Training by HiPS (Hidden in Plain Sight) Team

On 31st August, 2026 the Museum Division under the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development welcomed participants for an afternoon dive into the world of heritage science, kicking off with tea, snacks, and great conversation before settling in for a lineup of outstanding speakers:

🔹 Dr Ayesha Fuentes, Research Associate in Conservation at Cambridge University Library, opened the workshop with an introduction to the program.

🔹 Prof Eyal Poleg, Project Lead of Hidden in Plain Sight and Professor of Material History at Queen Mary University of London, walked us through Interpreting Objects with Heritage Science exploring how objects tell stories through a scientific lens.

🔹 Maciej Pawlikowski, Head of the Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory at Cambridge University Library, shared insights on Large-Scale Documentation and Digital Imaging, showing the scale and precision behind digitising our heritage.

🔹 Dr David Mills, Senior Lecturer in Imaging at Queen Mary University of London, took us deeper with Advanced Techniques for Scientific Analysis.

🔹 Merina Tuladhar, Information Technology Manager at Cambridge University Library, closed the session with a look at Archives and Data Management reminding us why preserving and managing our data matters just as much as capturing it.

26/08/2026

On 15 August 2026; The installation of the Wengkhar Nagtshang Heritage Gallery was successfully completed and handed over to the Mongar Dzongkhag Administration.

The project, initiated in September 2025 upon the request of the Mongar Dzongkhag Administration, was undertaken by the Museum Division, Department of Culture & Dzongkha Development, as a deposit work from the Dzongkhag. The initiative aimed to preserve and interpret the rich cultural, spiritual, and historical heritage of Wengkhar Nagtshang, while creating a meaningful space for the community and future generations.

Built around 1646 during the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, Wengkhar Nagtshang holds deep historical and spiritual significance as the residence of Zhabdrung Jigme Drakpa. Guided by a comprehensive field assessment and a participatory, community-based approach, the project brought together research and documentation, oral history, photography, conservation of heritage objects, architectural enhancements, and curated exhibition and interpretation.

The newly established gallery features heritage artifacts, interpretive displays, and interactive holographic experiences that bring together the stories, traditions, and legacy associated with Wengkhar Nagtshang. Improvements to the existing space, including ventilation, dolap flooring, conservation measures, and inclusive exhibition design, further enhance the visitor experience.

The project also placed emphasis on sustainability through capacity-building and the training of local custodians, ensuring that the gallery remains rooted within the spiritual and social fabric of the Wengkhar community.

The handing over of the Heritage Gallery marks an important milestone in safeguarding and sharing the heritage of Wengkhar Nagtshang, providing a space where its stories can be experienced, understood, and carried forward by generations to come.

24/08/2026

Register Now! 2-Day Exclusive Training Program (Aug 31–Sept 1)

How do ancient artifacts survive the test of time? Learn straight from the experts decoding history. 🏛️🔬

The HiPs project brings together top minds in conservation, science, digital preservation, and history to uncover how cultural objects change over time and how we can preserve them for the future.

📅 When: 31st August – 1st September

☕ Included: Lunch & Refreshments

📢 Please note: DSA/Per Diem is not covered.

🎟️ Seats are strictly limited, register today.

Registration Link:
https://forms.gle/KEYCd96znyro1jKK7

24/08/2026

On 21 August 2026; the National Museum of Bhutan, Paro in collaboration with Bhutanese artist Mr. Lobzang Nima, inaugurated its 8th Artist Collaboration Programme with museum staff, featuring “The Sacred Skull Painting.”

The programme explored Mr. Nima’s distinctive artistic journey, where personal experience, spirituality, and traditional symbolism come together. Having discovered and developed his artistic practice during his time in prison, he transformed hardship and confinement into a journey of self-realization and creative expression.

His paintings on yak skulls incorporate traditional Buddhist mantras, natural pigments, and gold, reflecting themes of impermanence, transformation, protection, compassion, and second chances. For the artist, the skull represents the impermanence of life, while the sacred mantras embody strength, purification, and protection.

Through this collaboration, the National Museum of Bhutan provided a platform to engage with an artist whose work transforms personal hardship into art, while encouraging reflection on resilience, cultural identity, faith, and the possibility of change.