Editing Kathmandu (section)

==== Museums ====
Kathmandu is home to a number of museums and art galleries, including the [[National Museum of Nepal]] and the [[Natural History Museum of Nepal]]. Nepal's art and architecture is an amalgamation of two ancient religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. These are amply reflected in the many temples, shrines, stupas, monasteries, and palaces in the seven well-defined Monument Zones of the Kathmandu valley are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This amalgamation is also reflected in the planning and exhibitions in museums and art galleries throughout Kathmandu and its sister cities of Patan and Bhaktapur. The museums display unique artefacts and paintings from the 5th century CE to the present day, including archaeological exportation.<ref name="asia">{{cite web |url=http://www.asiatravel.com/nepal/nepalgal.html |title=Museums and Art Galleries of Nepal |publisher=Asiatravel.com |access-date=18 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819000914/http://www.asiatravel.com/nepal/nepalgal.html |archive-date=19 August 2012}}</ref>

Museums and art galleries in Kathmandu include:<ref name="asia" />

* [[National Museum of Nepal|The National Museum]]
* [[Natural History Museum of Nepal|The Natural History Museum]]
* [[Hanuman Dhoka]] Palace Complex
* [[Kaiser Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana#Kaiser Library|The Kaiser Library]]
* The National Art Gallery
* The NEF-ART (Nepal Fine Art) Gallery
* The Nepal Art Council Gallery
* [[Narayanhiti Palace]] Museum
* [[Taragaon Museum|The Taragaon Museum]]

[[File:Nepal.Museum.JPG|thumb|[[National Museum of Nepal|The National Museum of Nepal]]|alt=|218x218px]]

The National Museum is in the western part of Kathmandu, near the Swayambhunath stupa in a historical building constructed in the early 19th century by General [[Bhimsen Thapa]]. It is the most important museum in the country, housing an extensive collection of weapons, art and antiquities of historic and cultural importance. The museum was established in 1928 as a collection house of war trophies and weapons, and the initial name of this museum was ''Chhauni Silkhana'', meaning "the stone house of arms and ammunition". Given its focus, the museum contains many weapons, including locally made firearms used in wars, leather [[cannon]]s from the 18th–19th century, and medieval and modern works in wood, [[bronze]], [[Rock (geology)|stone]] and paintings.<ref name="Museums">{{cite web |url=http://www.asiatravel.com/nepal/nepalgal.html |title=Museums and art galleries |publisher=Asia Travel |access-date=18 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819000914/http://www.asiatravel.com/nepal/nepalgal.html |archive-date=19 August 2012}}</ref>

The Natural History Museum is in the southern foothills of Swayambhunath hill and has a sizeable collection of different species of animals, [[butterflies]], and plants. The museum is noted for its display of species, from prehistoric shells to stuffed animals.<ref name="Museums" />

The Tribhuvan Museum contains artifacts related to [[Tribhuvan of Nepal|King Tribhuvan]] (1906–1955). It has a variety of pieces including his personal belongings, letters, and papers, memorabilia related to events he was involved in and a rare collection of photos and paintings of Royal family members. The Mahendra Museum is dedicated to the [[Mahendra of Nepal|King Mahendra]] (1920–1972). Like the Tribhuvan Museum, it includes his personal belongings such as decorations, stamps, coins and personal notes and manuscripts, but it also has structural reconstructions of his cabinet room and office chamber. The Hanumandhoka Palace, a lavish medieval palace complex in the Durbar, contains three separate museums of historic importance. These museums include the Birendra museum, which contains items related to the second-last monarch, [[Birendra of Nepal|King Birendra]].<ref name="Museums" />

The enclosed compound of the Narayanhiti Palace Museum is in the north-central part of Kathmandu. "Narayanhiti" ({{Langx|ne|नारायणहिटी}}) comes from ''Narayana'' ({{Langx|ne|नारायण}}), a form of the Hindu god [[Lord Vishnu|Vishnu]], and ''Hiti'' ({{Langx|ne|हिटी}}), meaning "water spout" (the temple of lord Vishnu is opposite to the palace, and the water spout is east of the main entrance to the precinct). The current palace building was built in 1970 in front of the old palace, built in 1915, in the form of a contemporary pagoda. It was built on the occasion of the marriage of the then crown prince and heir apparent to the throne, [[Birendra of Nepal|Birendra]]. The southern gate of the palace is at the crossing of Prithvipath and [[Durbar Marg]] roads. The palace area covers {{convert|30|ha|acre}} and is fully secured with gates on all sides.<ref name="Woodhatch">{{Cite book |last=Woodhatch |first=Tom |title=Nepal handbook |page=[https://archive.org/details/nepalhandbook0000wood/page/194 194] |access-date=17 December 2009 |url=https://archive.org/details/nepalhandbook0000wood |url-access=registration |publisher=Footprint Travel Guides |year=1999 |isbn=978-1-900949-44-6}}</ref><ref name="Planet">{{Cite book |page=[https://archive.org/details/nepal00brad/page/38 38] |title=Nepal |chapter=History – Royal Troubles |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dtSIz1vwg4YC&pg=PA38 |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-74059-699-2 |first1=Bradley |last1=Mayhew |first2=Joe |last2=Bindloss |first3=Stan |last3=Armington |access-date=17 December 2016 |url=https://archive.org/details/nepal00brad/page/38}}</ref><ref name="Vibhaga">{{Cite book |last=Vibhaga |first=Nepal Sūcanā |title=Narayanhity Royal Palace, home of the King of Nepal |page=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N2kKAQAAIAAJ |publisher=His Majesty's Govt., Ministry of Communications, Dept. of Information |year=1975 |access-date=26 April 2021 |archive-date=9 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009082732/https://books.google.com/books?id=N2kKAQAAIAAJ |url-status=live}}</ref> This palace was the scene of the [[Nepali royal massacre]]. After the fall of the monarchy, it has been converted into a museum.

The Taragaon Museum presents the modern history of the Kathmandu valley.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/TheTaragaonMuseum The Taragaon Museum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903235159/https://www.facebook.com/TheTaragaonMuseum |date=3 September 2015 }} on Facebook</ref> It seeks to document 50 years of research and cultural heritage conservation of the Kathmandu Valley, documenting what artists, photographers, architects, and anthropologists from abroad had contributed in the second half of the 20th century. The actual structure of the museum showcases restoration and rehabilitation efforts to preserve the built heritage of Kathmandu. It was designed by Carl Pruscha (master-planner of the Kathmandu Valley)<ref name="spacesnepal.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.spacesnepal.com/archives/sept_oct10/2010IJ2.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140525061211/http://www.spacesnepal.com/archives/sept_oct10/2010IJ2.php |url-status=dead |title=SPACES Magazine – Carl Pruscha |date=25 May 2014 |archive-date=25 May 2014}}</ref> in 1970 and constructed in 1971.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cpruscha.com/1964-1974/ceda-building-centre-for-regional-development/ |title=Carl Pruscha " 06 Taragaon – Hostel |access-date=25 May 2014 |archive-date=25 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525200403/http://cpruscha.com/1964-1974/ceda-building-centre-for-regional-development/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Restoration works began in 2010 to rehabilitate the Taragaon hostel into the Taragaon Museum. The design uses local brick along with modern architectural design elements, as well as the use of circle, triangles and squares.<ref name="spacesnepal.com" /> The museum is within a short walk from the Boudhanath stupa, which itself can be seen from the museum tower.