Global Spotlight on India as Bihar Museum Ranks 9th in the World, Tops Asia, Ahead of New York’s Met and Paris’s Louvre
Bihar Museum in Patna has risen to ninth spot in the World’s 100 Best Museums 2026, becoming the highest‑ranked institution in Asia and edging out icons such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre.
The list, compiled by the independent travel guide Worth a Journey, blends massive visitor data, online reviews and on‑site expert assessments across art, history, science and technology museums worldwide.
Opened in 2015 and fully operational by 2017, the museum sits on a 13‑acre campus designed by Pritzker Prize‑winning architect Fumihiko Maki in partnership with Opolis Architects. Its chronological galleries trace Bihar’s story from the Stone Age through to contemporary folk art, complemented by open courtyards, lawns and a dedicated Children’s Gallery.
Among its prized holdings are the gleaming Mauryan sandstone sculpture Didarganj Yakshi, a collection of Kurkihar bronzes and numerous manuscripts and coins that showcase the region’s rich heritage.