Top 4 Museums in Pokhara You Need to Visit
Pokhara is known for its chill vibes and as a starting point for many trekking routes into the Annapurna Region. The museums in Pokhara are good to learn more about the culture and traditions of Nepal. Whether you are not sure what to do on a rainy day or once you have covered all the main attractions in Pokhara, make sure to check out these museums.
Other Activities You May Like in Pokhara:
Top 4 Museums in Pokhara
International Mountain Museum
- Entry fee: Foreigners: Rs. 750, Nepali: Rs. 150, SAARC: Rs. 350
- Opening times: Everyday: 9 am – 5 pm
- How to get there: Book a taxi through InDrive (download InDrive from Apple, Google Play), or take a local bus from Lakeside to Damside (Rs. 30) and walk from there.
The International Mountain Museum in Pokhara is the biggest and one of the most impressive museums in Pokhara. If you only have time to visit one museum Pokhara, make it this one.
It was opened in 2004 and displays mountaineering activities in Nepal and around the world. It was founded to record and preserve mountaineering activities. The museum also displays information about the different Nepali ethnic groups that live in the Himalayan region, along with traditional clothes, kitchenware and other household items.
In addition, there are also photos and information about all the 14 mountains around the world that are over 8,000 metres. There is a short also a short documentary that is played every hour, so you can also catch that.
Annapurna Museum
- Entry fee: free
- Opening times: Sunday-Friday: 10 am – 6 pm, Saturdays: closed
- Location: Inside the Prithvi Narayan Campus
- How to Get There: By Taxi: take a taxi through InDrive. Local bus: take a bus from Lakeside to 0 Km, then change to another bus to go to Hari Chowk, it’s 5 minutes’ walk from Hari Chowk.
When you first arrive to the Annapurna Museum, it seems quite small and old. When I first entered, I thought that I would not enjoy the museum so much but in the end I think it was one of my favourites. The information is also displayed both in English and Nepali.
Inside the museum you will find various sections on the natural history of Nepal. The display includes a small butterfly section, which the museum is famous for. It also displays the wildlife habitat and different ethnic groups in the Annapurna region. What I enjoyed a lot is that there are a lot of visuals with the information so you can see for example the type of wildlife present in the Annapurna region at different altitudes.
Gurkha Memorial Museum
- Entry fee: Rs. 250 for foreigners, Rs. 50 for Nepali, Rs. 100 for SAARC nationals
- Opening times: Everyday: 8 am – 4:30 pm
- How to get there: By Taxi: take a taxi through InDrive. Local bus: take a bus from Lakeside to 0 Km, then change to another bus to go to Hari Chowk, walk from there.
The Gurkha Memorial Museum displays the history of Gurkha soldiers and their incorporation into the British Army. The Gurkha soldiers originate from the Gorkha region of Nepal. King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified Nepal, ruled from his seat in Gorkha and his army were the Gorkha soldiers.
The Gorkha Army first faced British soldiers during the Anglo-Nepal War in the early 1800s. The British were impressed by the fighting skills of the Gorkha Army and there was a mutual respect between the two warring parties. This mutual respect led to the incorporation of Gurkha soldiers into the British Army. Since then, the Gurkhas have served in the British Army for almost 200 years
The museum displays the history and formation of Gurkha soldiers into the British Army. It also goes through the 200 years of service of Gurkha soldiers with highlighting specific wars where the Gurkhas fought alongside Britain. They also have some videos, uniforms and some old military equipment on display.
Regional Museum (or Pokhara Provincial Museum)
- Entry fee: Rs. 100 for foreigners
- Opening times: Everyday: 10 am – 5 pm
- How to get there: By taxi: InDrive. Local bus: Take a bus from Lakeside to Prithvi Chowk and walk from there.
The Regional Museum in Pokhara is also referred to as the Provincial Museum. When you check on the map it will say Regional Museum, but once you get there, it’s named Provincial Museum. The museum buildings are spread out over a big land but only the front garden is kept nicely. If you visit at a time which is not busy, the front garden of the museum is a nice place to chill a bit.
Inside the museum, the displays present the various ethnic groups that you can find in the Gandaki Province of Nepal (where Pokhara and the Annapurna Range are located). It is a great place to learn about the different ethnic groups, customs, traditional wear and jewellery.
The museum is split into 3-4 buildings and each building presents different themes. At the end, there is also a photo exhibition that shows old photos of Nepal, which is really great.
