Bihar Museum, Patna

The Bihar Museum in Patna is one of the finest modern museums in India, inaugurated in 2015 to showcase the extraordinary cultural, artistic, and historical heritage of Bihar. Designed by Japanese architecture firm Maki and Associates in collaboration with OPOLIS Mumbai, the museum is spread over 13.9 acres on Bailey Road in Patna and represents an investment of over 498 crore rupees. Its nine permanent galleries are home to a collection of over 30,000 artefacts covering the full sweep of Bihar’s history from the Indus Valley Civilisation and the Harappan period through the Maurya, Nanda, Gupta, and Pala dynasties, up to the year 1764. The museum is home to the world-famous Didarganj Yakshi, a polished Mauryan-period sandstone statue widely considered one of the greatest works of ancient Indian art. Other highlights include galleries dedicated to the Mauryan and Nandas dynasties, a stunning regional art gallery, a Bihari diaspora gallery, a children’s gallery designed for interactive learning, and a contemporary art gallery featuring works by major Indian artists. The Bihar Museum received a GRIHA five-star rating for sustainable design in 2019 and has won international recognition for its branding and architecture. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, it has become a centrepiece of cultural tourism in Bihar and is considered one of the best museums in India.