Museum in Meghalaya

Meghalaya museums display the two most endearing aspects of this picturesque North-Eastern state of India in the lap of the Eastern Himalayas, the wonderful wildlife and the exquisite tribal cultures. The Khasis and the Garos are the two most prominent tribal groups of Meghalaya. They have their indigenous cultures which have come down unchanged from time immemorial. The museums of Meghalaya show-case various objects of artistic and ritualistic importance to the lives of these two tribal communities. At the same time, there are Meghalaya museums that are of great importance to the enthusiasts of natural science and history. The exotic plants and some wonderful wildlife are also on display in the these Meghalaya museums.

The State Museum of Meghalaya was founded in the year 1975. It is considered as one of the places in India that helps to retain the heritage of Indian culture. The activities of The State Museum in Meghalaya include exhibition, acquisition, publication, conservation and education.

The present name of The State Museum at Meghalaya is Williamson Sangma Museum. The Meghalaya State Museum has opened a separate district museum in Tura in the state of West Garo Hills in1989.

The State Museum of Meghalaya is a museum that offers a wide range of articles including many objects of daily use belonging to a clan or a race, art pieces, handicrafts, objects used in rituals, musical instruments, industry memoirs, jewelry, weapons used during important wars and traditional costumes.

The Meghalaya State Museum continually collects models, articles and antiques, which are rare or of immense historical or cultural value. The galleries of the Meghalaya State Museum showcase many archaic articles that bear testimony of the rich cultural lineage of India. These articles include many Indian musical instruments, traditional tools of common use and specimens of a variety of Indian forms of art and crafts.

Some important possessions of the museum that attract tourists from not only India but from all over the world are the models of the pillars erected by Ashoka. These models have been brought from the Delhi National Museum. The dinosaur replica found in the museum are also one of its major crowd pullers. These models have been brought from Kolkata's Geological Survey of India. A king size dinosaur replica has been transported from Guwahati.