Bihar's museum in Patna has earned a place among the world's leading cultural institutions and secured the ninth position on the World's 100 Best Museums list, which is released by Germany-based travel guide Worth a Journey. Not only this, but the achievement also makes it Asia's highest-ranked museum, placing it ahead of prominent institutions such as New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, which features in 10th place, and the Louvre in Paris, ranked 31st. But what makes the museum so iconic? Let's understand in detail.
Bihar Museum ranks 9th globally
In the ranking published by Worth a Journey, an international travel magazine, the Bihar Museum in Patna was ranked first in Asia, and it is the only Indian museum on the list. The Bihar Museum also beat the Paris Louvre and New York's Met Museum to secure the ninth spot in the 2026 list of the world's 100 best museums.
Sharing about the museum on X, Amit Malviya said, "Bihar’s civilisational inheritance is extraordinary. From the ancient universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila to the Mauryan and Gupta empires, from Buddhism and Jainism to its extraordinary folk traditions, art, literature and craftsmanship, this land has shaped India’s intellectual and cultural journey. The Bihar Museum brings this remarkable inheritance alive through its collections, architecture and curatorial vision."
What's special about the museum?
The museum, which is located in the capital of Bihar, Patna, is spread across 13.9 acres. The museum also honours a prehistoric, Kushan-period slab depicting the birth of Buddha, and it also houses the famed Kurkihar bronzes, among others. It was created by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki in partnership with Mumbai’s Opolis Architects. The expansive site combines modern architecture with large open courtyards, green lawns, an aluminium-covered entrance canopy and Corten steel facades.
The museum features dedicated chronological galleries, children's gallery and it traces the rich history, civilization, and culture of Bihar from the Stone Age up to 1764 through extensive collections of ancient sculptures, rare coins, manuscripts, and folk ages.
