Sarnath Archaeological Museum

The Sarnath Archaeological Museum in Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India, established in 1910. Located near the Sarnath archaeological ruins, it houses antiquities excavated from Sarnath dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE. It is renowned for displaying the Lion Capital of Ashoka, India's national emblem, along with Mauryan, Gupta and other period sculptures, inscriptions and artifacts.

Visitors can expect a single-storey museum building set within a landscaped compound near the Sarnath excavated ruins and Dhamek Stupa. Inside, five galleries and two verandahs display stone sculptures, inscriptions, architectural fragments and terracottas arranged chronologically from the Mauryan to medieval periods. The central attraction is the polished sandstone Lion Capital of Ashoka displayed in the main hall. Visitors walk through well-lit galleries with labeled exhibits, can view the museum's collection of Buddha images, and explore the surrounding gardens and archaeological site outside.

Established in 1910 to house antiquities excavated at Sarnath by the Archaeological Survey of India, it is the oldest site museum of the ASI. The building was designed by James Ransome. The collection covers the period from the 3rd century BCE Mauryan era to the 12th century CE, including finds from excavations led by Friedrich Oertel and others. Its most famous exhibit is the Lion Capital of Ashoka (circa 250 BCE) from the Mauryan period, adopted as the State Emblem of India.

The museum preserves artifacts from Sarnath, where Gautama Buddha is traditionally believed to have given his first sermon after enlightenment. The site is a major Buddhist pilgrimage centre and the museum's collection illustrates the development of Buddhist art and iconography, particularly Gupta-period Buddha images, as well as Hindu and Jain sculptures reflecting the region's cultural history.