Manipur State Museum, a Historical Site to Visit in Manipur

The Manipur State Museum is located close to the Polo-ground, in Imphal. It is one of the top tourist destinations of Manipur,
which is visited by tourists throughout the year. It is a very important site in Manipur as it exhibits items that symbolize the rich history of the state. The museum houses an interesting collection of historical documents and relics of the region along with the authentic Manipuri costumes and war equipments. Visitors to this place will get a clear view into the historical and cultural lifestyle of Manipur. The Manipur State Museum was inaugurated by the late Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, on 23^rd September 1969. 

Attractions & Collection

The museum holds a fascinating collection of items. More than 10,000 historically important artifacts can be found at this place.  Here, you will find articles like traditional hookahs, domestic implements and Manipuri textiles. Apart from these, you will find various other exhibits at this place, such as rider less horse, smoking pipes and lighters, basketry, native games of Manipur, gold and silver utensils, armory of Royal army, tribal costumes, Meitei ornaments, Buddhist relics like gold mark and also the time measuring equipment. All these items have been kept under the guidance of heavy security due to the historical importance and high values of the artifacts.  

Galleries

The historical items found in this museum are displayed in seven different galleries, namely the Children’s Gallery, Jalan, Ethology, Painting, Natural History, Archaeology and Hiyang Hiren Gallery. The place has an open air galley that attracts children to this museum. The open air gallery houses a royal boat named Hiyang Hiren, which is up to 78 ft long. Out the total number of galleries present at this place, three galleries, namely Art Gallery, Children Gallery and Jalan Galley mostly remain closed, but if you are lucky enough, you can get a glimpse into these galleries.

Apart from the preservation of the historical items, the place also organizes cultural appreciation courses and awareness programs. Along with these, science fairs, mobile and thematic exhibitions are also conducted by this museum. 

Visiting Time: The museum is open from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm on all days of the week except on Sundays.

Entry Fee: The entry fee to the place is Rs 3 for Indians and Rs 20 for foreigners.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the place is during the months of April to November, as the place experiences a pleasant during this time of the year.

Accommodation

Being the capital city of Manipur, Imphal provides plenty of options for accommodation. The accommodation facilities found at this place ranges from budget, mid-budget to luxury class. The hotels and resorts found at this place provide excellent services for accommodation.

How to Reach

By Air: Imphal has its own airport that operates regular flights to places like Silchar, Guwahati, Aizwal, Delhi, Dimapur and Kolkata.

By Train:  The nearest railway station to Imphal is at Dimapur, in Nagaland, which is located at a distance of about 215 km. The station is well linked with various major parts in the country. Bus and taxi services are available from the station to the place. 

By Road: Imphal has a very good network of roads that connects the place with places like Kohima, Itanagar, Dimapur, Shillong, Aizwal and Agartala. Regular state buses are available from Imphal to these places.