Patna: Bihar’s Bihar Museum has secured the ninth position in the list of the world’s 100 best museums for 2026, emerging as the only Indian museum to feature in the global rankings published by travel guide Worth a Journey.
The achievement places the Patna-based institution ahead of several internationally renowned museums, including the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is also the only Asian museum to secure a place in the top 10.
Mexico City’s Museo Nacional de Antropología topped the list, followed by Madrid’s Museo del Prado. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, Saint Petersburg’s State Hermitage Museum and Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum were among the other institutions in the top five.
Located on Bailey Road in Patna, the Bihar Museum was inaugurated in 2015 to provide better exhibition facilities for historical artefacts, including collections previously housed at the Patna Museum. Its architectural design was developed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki in collaboration with Mumbai-based Opolis Architects.
The museum showcases artefacts spanning ancient Indian history to 1764, with galleries organised around different historical periods, including the Mauryan, Mughal and Sur dynasties.
Among its prominent exhibits is the Mauryan-era Didarganj Yakshi sculpture, discovered near Patna in 1917. Its collection also includes a Kushan-period sculpture depicting the birth of Buddha, Pala-era bronze sculptures, illustrated manuscripts and historical coins.
The museum remains closed on Mondays. Its main galleries are open from 10 am to 5 pm, with entry tickets priced at Rs 100 for Indian adults and Rs 500 for international visitors.
