Bihar Museum

Bihar Museum is a modern state museum located on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bailey Road in Patna, Bihar. Inaugurated in 2015, it showcases the history and cultural heritage of Bihar from prehistoric times to the modern era. Notable for its contemporary architecture by Maki and Associates and extensive galleries, it houses important artifacts including the Didarganj Yakshi, Mauryan and Gupta sculptures, and regional art collections.

Visitors can expect a large contemporary museum complex with multiple galleries spread over two floors, including History Galleries, Art Gallery, Regional Art Gallery and a Children's Gallery. The museum displays archaeological artifacts, sculptures, paintings, coins and manuscripts from ancient to modern Bihar, including the 2300-year-old Didarganj Yakshi. The campus includes landscaped outdoor areas, courtyards, an auditorium, cafeteria and museum shop. Guided tours and audio guides are available to explore the collections.

Bihar Museum was conceived to showcase the comprehensive history of Bihar and was inaugurated in 2015 by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, opened to the public in 2017. Designed by Maki and Associates of Japan with Opolis Architects, Mumbai, it was built to house and display artifacts previously held at Patna Museum, including finds from ancient Pataliputra, Nalanda, Vikramshila and Mauryan and Gupta period sites.

The museum presents the cultural heritage of Bihar through galleries dedicated to history, art, regional traditions and contemporary art. It preserves and interprets artifacts related to Buddhism, Jainism, and the ancient kingdoms of Magadha and Mithila, serving as a major cultural and educational institution for the state.