Preserving the Soul of Karnali
Panchapuri Museum was founded in 2019 with a singular mission: to collect, preserve, study, and celebrate the material culture of Karnali Province and the Surkhet Valley. We believe that objects carry stories — and that those stories matter.
Our collection of over 500 artifacts spans agricultural tools, sacred objects, musical instruments, textiles, and domestic items from the 15th century to the present day. Each piece was used by real people, in real communities, in the landscapes that surround us. Bringing these objects together in one place allows us to tell the story of how people have lived, believed, worked, and celebrated in this corner of Nepal across the centuries.
Our mission is to serve as a living bridge between the past, the present, and the future of Panchapuri and the wider Karnali region. We exist to preserve the memories, knowledge, traditions, objects, stories, landscapes, and cultural expressions that have shaped our communities, while creating meaningful opportunities for future generations to understand, question, learn from, and carry forward this heritage. We believe that a museum is not simply a place where old objects are stored or displayed; it is a living space where people, memories, knowledge, history, culture, and contemporary experiences come together. Through careful preservation, research, documentation, education, and community participation, Panchapuri Museum seeks to ensure that the heritage entrusted to us remains accessible, meaningful, and relevant for generations to come.
We envision a Karnali where every community can see its own history, culture, identity, and heritage reflected, respected, and celebrated. We believe that the diverse traditions, memories, languages, landscapes, craftsmanship, knowledge systems, stories, and everyday experiences of Karnali are an essential part of Nepal's cultural identity. Our vision is to help create a future in which heritage is not viewed as something belonging only to the past, but as a living source of knowledge and connection that continues to shape communities today. We imagine museums, schools, families, researchers, cultural practitioners, and local communities working together to protect and share the heritage of Karnali, ensuring that local histories receive the recognition, care, and attention they deserve.
The story of Panchapuri Museum began with a simple but meaningful idea: to recognize, collect, and preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Panchapuri and the wider Karnali region for future generations. What began as a private collection gradually developed from an individual effort to identify and safeguard objects, photographs, documents, traditional materials, and other items carrying local historical and cultural significance. Each collected object represents a connection to a particular place, period, tradition, family, occupation, or community experience, and together these materials form the early foundation of what we hope will become a meaningful heritage institution for Panchapuri.
Dedicated professionals committed to preserving Karnali's cultural legacy.
Founder & Executive Director
Historian and educator with 30 years of experience documenting Karnali heritage. Author of three books on mid-western Nepal cultural history.
Chief Curator
PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Tribhuvan University. Specializes in indigenous material culture and ritual objects of Nepal's mid-hills.
Lead Conservator
Trained in preventive conservation at the National Museum Kathmandu. Specializes in metal and organic material conservation.
Education Officer
Develops school programs and community engagement activities. Manages the museum's volunteer network across Surkhet District.
