Museum at Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

Sikkim is filled with monasteries following the Tibetan form of Buddhism, and the best place to know more about them is at the museum established at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. The institute was established in 1958 to promote the study of religion, history, art, language and culture of Tibet. Through fellowship programs, lecture series, and conferences, they continually promote the causes of Tibet, and their museum is an excellent effort to spread this knowledge among tourists.

The museum has an impressive collection of artifacts, from statues, thangkas (painted, woven and embroidered scrolls), objects used in rituals, such as masks, conches, and musical instruments, as well as ancient manuscripts, written in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese. The highlights of the museum are the relics of two missionaries from Ashoka’s time preserved here. The Institute also has a library open to visitors, which houses the largest collection of Tibetan works outside Tibet. Outside the museum are a few shops selling local products from books and postcards to clothes as well as local crafts.

Additional information: The Institute is located in Deorali, around 5 km to the south of central Deorali, around 5 km to the south of central Gangtok.

Note: The museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm from Monday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays, second Saturdays every month and on official government holidays. Library timings are the same, as are the timings of a small shop selling books.