Are you an art lover and always keen to dig information about history? It’s time to pack your travel bags and head to Patan Museum in Nepal. The museum is situated in an old residential court of Patan Durbar in Patan city; an oldest city in the Kathmandu valley known for its art and craft, architect and traditional values. The museum is in one of the imperial palaces of former Malla Kings, the gold covered doors and windows faces the most exotic sceneries of the planet.
Patan Museum exhibits the traditional art of Nepal and some of the exclusive sculptures and objects. These art pieces are relevant not only to Nepalese tradition but they also have significance in context to Hindu religion which is being explained on the information labels.
The collection comprises more than 1500 objects. These objects are made up of bronze and gilt copper work. Gilt copper work is specialty of Patan and these sculptures are inspired from the cultural history of Nepal. Most of them are Buddhist and Hindu deities and created in nearby workshops of Patan itself. Some of them are from Tibet, India and the western Himalayas.
Not only the museum but the written information is also center of attraction as it is exclusively written by Mary Slusser that clearly explains each monument’s significance and its relation with cultural history of Nepal.
If you are interested in knowing how old this palace is? The answer is, Keshav Narayan Chowk where the museum is located. Historians believe that the foundation of the place was laid down much before to the Licchavi Period (ca. 3rd to 9th century). The building is old so there were some wear and tear that is now renovated by the joint efforts of Nepalese and Austrian government. It was reopened in 1997 for general public so that they can peep into the golden history of Nepal.
