Established in 1956 near the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodh Gaya Museum in Bihar preserves Buddhist and Hindu material dating from the second century BCE to the eleventh century CE. Inaugurated by the Dalai Lama, it contains three galleries and a portico that present the regions long religious and artistic history. The museum offers a structured view of sacred traditions that shaped the area over many centuries.

Collections

The museum displays images of Buddha in varied mudras and sculptures of Tara, Avalokiteshvara, and Hindu deities such as Vishnu and Ganesha. It also preserves sandstone railings from the Sunga period and granite railings from the Pala era. These objects demonstrate the continuity of worship, changes in iconography, and the craftsmanship that characterised Buddhist and Hindu expression across a broad chronological span.