The Sarnath Museum, established in 1910 near Varanasi, is regarded as the oldest site museum in India and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. It preserves material recovered from the sacred site where the Buddha delivered his first sermon following enlightenment. The museum provides an authoritative perspective on the development of Buddhist art and its connections to wider currents of ancient Indian spiritual traditions.

Collections

Its holdings include more than six thousand artefacts, among them the renowned Lion Capital of Ashoka, which serves as the national emblem of India. The galleries contain sculptures of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Hindu deities representing the Mauryan, Kushana, and Gupta periods. Visitors can also study inscriptions, coins, terracotta objects, and other remains that illustrate the artistic, religious, and cultural evolution of the region.