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The red-and-white front of the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok with its two tall wings and a painted central porch
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Photo: Anjan Kumar Kundu · CC BY 4.0
museum13 min from Gangtok

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok — the Tibet museum and library

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok's Tibet museum: its 1957–58 foundation, collections of icons, masks and manuscripts, and how to visit.

What it is

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, usually called NIT or the Tibetology Museum, is a museum and research institute in Gangtok. Wikipedia says it is named after Sir Tashi Namgyal, the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim.

Photos: Anjan Kumar Kundu (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

History

The 14th Dalai Lama laid the foundation stone on 10 February 1957. India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, opened it on 1 October 1958 as the Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology, and Sir Tashi Namgyal later changed the name to the Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology.

What it keeps

Wikipedia describes a large store of masks, Buddhist texts, statues and tapestries, with over two hundred Buddhist icons, and calls it a centre for the study of Buddhist philosophy. Its researchers are documenting the social history of Sikkim's monasteries and digitising old and rare photographs of Sikkim, and it publishes the Bulletin of Tibetology. We have no verified gallery list, so ask when you arrive what is on show.

Getting there

The institute stands on the hillside south-west of the centre; see the quick facts for the measured road time. The Do-drul Chorten is about 500 m above it, on the same slope.

Combine it with

Walk up to the stupa after the museum, and put the Tsuklakhang and Enchey Monastery in the same day; the one-day plan does it in that order. Read things to do in Gangtok.

Plans that include this

All 2 plans that stop here →
The red, white and yellow main hall of Enchey Monastery with a palm tree and tall conifers behind it on a sunny day
One day in Gangtok — monasteries, the royal chapel and the ridge
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day Gangtok plan: the Do-drul Chorten, the Tibetology museum, the royal Tsuklakhang, Enchey Monastery, Hanuman Tok and an evening on Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
The red-pillared prayer hall of Rumtek Monastery across a wet courtyard, with mist and trees behind it
Two days in Gangtok — the town, Banjhakri Falls and Rumtek Monastery
1 night · 2 days · First visit · Classic
A two-day Gangtok plan: the Do-drul Chorten, the Tibetology museum, the Tsuklakhang and Banjhakri Falls, then Rumtek Monastery, Lingdum and Saramsa Garden.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Gangtok →
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
Do-drul Chorten, Gangtok — the white stupa with 108 prayer wheels
temple · 244 m away
Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok — the royal chapel of the Chogyals
temple · 1.5 km away
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
Enchey Monastery, Gangtok — the "solitary monastery" on the ridge
temple · 3.6 km away
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park, Gangtok — a waterfall and the forest healer
waterfall · 4.0 km away
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
Hanuman Tok, Gangtok — the army-kept temple on the ridge
temple · 4.3 km away
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
Rumtek Monastery — the Dharma Chakra Centre near Gangtok
temple · 5.3 km away
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
Kabi Lungchok — the stones of the Lepcha–Bhutia blood brotherhood
monument · 9.3 km away
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
Phodong Monastery and Labrang — two old monasteries on the North Sikkim road
temple · 11 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The town of Almora spread across a terraced ridge under a blue sky with clouds
Almora
911 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Rows of boats with red cushioned seats moored on Nainital Lake, with forested hills across the water
Nainital
924 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
A wide panorama of forested ridges below a long line of snow-capped Himalayan peaks seen from Ranikhet
Ranikhet
933 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
Joshimath's houses spread down a steep mountain slope above a deep valley, with high ridges and blue sky beyond
Joshimath
950 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

What is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology?

A museum and research institute in Gangtok, named after Sir Tashi Namgyal, the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim. Wikipedia says the 14th Dalai Lama laid its foundation stone on 10 February 1957 and India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, opened it on 1 October 1958. It holds masks, scriptures, statues and tapestries.

What does the institute collect?

Wikipedia describes a large store of Buddhist masks, texts, statues and tapestries, with over two hundred Buddhist icons, and says it is a centre for the study of Buddhist philosophy. Research projects there document the history of Sikkim's monasteries and digitise rare old photographs. We have no verified gallery or opening details.

Is the institute close to other sights?

Yes. The Do-drul Chorten stands about 500 m above it, so the two make one visit. The Tsuklakhang, the royal chapel, is in the centre of Gangtok. We have no verified opening hours or entry fee for the museum, so ask locally before you go.