Published Date : 2020-12-21 (Modified Date : 2026-08-14)
The residential palace compound of Keshav Narayan Chowk, which houses the museum, dates from 1734. It displaces a Buddhist monastery that is still remembered in an annual public rite on the palace doorstep. Both monastery and palace rest on far older foundations that may date from the Lichavi Period (ca. 3rd to 9th century).
Altered over time to suit other purposes, and partly fallen into decay, the building has undergone a thorough restoration for more than a decade through the joint efforts of the governments of Nepal and Austria. Some parts are new, others were reconstructed to their original appearance, and interiors were adapted to the needs of a museum with appropriate modern facilities added. It is also Nepal's first self- sustaining museum, with expenditures covered from its own revenues.
