International Mountain Museum, Pokhara
Learn about the mountains, culture, traditions and lifestyle of mountains in the Museum.
Learn about the mountains, culture, traditions and lifestyle of mountains in the Museum.
Think you know mountains? Well, think again. The mountain museum in Pokhara goes over all the fascinating information you need to know about mountain ranges in Nepal. You are guaranteed to explore the amazing facts, figures and everything that the glorious mountains around the world in Pokhara’s International Mountain Museum.
As a tourist destination, Pokhara is a truly unique place. It has been visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists over the years, who have left their signatures in guest books at the International Mountain Museum.
The International Mountain Museum showcases the history and culture of mountain-dwelling peoples in Nepal with its object collections. The museum was founded on 5 Feb 2004 by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).
Nepal Mountaineering Association was established on 1 Nov 1973 with an aim to promote, conserve and provide information on the Himalayan ranges of Nepal. As part of the campaign to promote, record, document and chronicle the past and present development of mountaineering activities and market the mountain scene in Nepal and around the world, the mountain museum was established.
The International Mountain Museum in Pokhara is situated about 1.5 Km south of Pokhara airport and around 5 Km from Lakeside. From the museum itself, the impressive views of some eight-thousanders including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu mountain are spectacular. It provides information on mountaineering, the world’s mountain system, the culture and lifestyle of mountain people, the environment, prominent people who contributed to the mountaineering arena, mountain geography and ecology, and other information on mountaineering and implied methods to brave the incredible mountains.
Pokhara is also home to thousands of Nepali inhabitants and a base camp for mountaineers and those with an interest in climbing. It is also a place for adventure seekers as there are a lot of things to do in Pokhara.
The museum collection consists of mountaineering and trekking equipment, rare documents and photographs related to the history of mountains, stories about great mountaineers and interesting facts about the community in Pokhara. There are also many old maps and models displaying different geographical aspects of mountain ranges like Everest, Annapurna, Makalu etc. A number of valuable books are available on various subjects like culture & history, Yoga, Buddhism etc.
The International Mountain Museum boasts the lifestyle and their close connection to maintain the livelihood in the mountains. The impressive display of culture, customs and lifestyle of mountain people is portrayed in the first basement hall.
The hall of mountain people showcases the indigenous inhabitants, lifestyle, culture and traditions. People from the different parts of the world, their culture and costumes, and comparative studies of the alpine mountain people of Europe and Nepal that are photographed over 50 years are displayed on the wall.
The Hall of world mountains boasts a wonderful display of national and international mountains, their historical backgrounds, and the highest peaks around the world. A collection of rock samples, taxidermied objects, and the serene beauty of wild lives are amazingly portrayed in the hall. It facilitates visitors with insights into the various changes in the decades of mountaineering history.
Related Article: Things to do in Nepal
Nationality |
SAARC |
Residential Foreigners |
Foreigners |
Nepalese |
Entry Fee |
NPR 100 |
NPR 100 |
NPR 300 |
Adults: NPR 50 Students: NPR 35 Garden Visitors: NPR 10 |
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM DAILY
The international mountain museum in Pokhara is a must-see for mountaineers, tourists and locals alike. If you plan on visiting Pokhara, make sure you stop in at the International Mountain Museum. It is a landmark building that resides in the beautiful adventure hub of Nepal. It has been constructed to house and showcase the artefacts from different mountain ranges and provide information on mountains around the world.
A well-built library, souvenir shop, garden, Maurice Herzog Climbing Wall and restaurants are there inside the premises. For the visitors, there are several guides who help to understand the showcases and let you know the information on the mountains around the world. The living museum outside the building offers a realistic setting of the culture and traditions of indigenous people from different parts of Nepal. Also, the geographical mountain settlements of some of the mountains are built there to deliver visitors a perspective into the mountains.
There are three main exhibition halls: Hall of Great Himalayas, Hall of Fame and Hall of World Mountains. An attempt to provide information on flora and fauna, mountains and people of Nepal is made in this museum to provide visitors inclusive information about mountain history and its touch on the life of people.
The gallery of mountain activities makes the visitors familiar with the mountaineering gears and equipment. A structure of Yeti, a mythical giant brown bear, whose stories are heard by many but nobody has evidently seen or photographed it, is built in a corner of the first floor.
The Lakhang is another space in the museum that allows visitors to internalize the true sensitivity of prayers and the Buddhist religion. There’s a library on the right of Lakhang room for interested visitors, scholars and students.
It is one of the major museums that showcases art, culture, history and artefacts related to the mountains around the world. Explore the mountain lifestyle, culture and traditions, visit the library, and explore the realistic mountain setting outside the museum. There are many more things that a true adventure geek interested in mountaineering needs.
The International Mountain Museum is located in Pokhara of Nepal. It is around 5 Km away from Lakeside.