Sarnath Archaeological Museum

Highlights

Overview

The Sarnath Archaeological Museum is the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), established in 1910 to house findings from the Sarnath excavation site. Built in the style of a Buddhist monastery (Sangharam), the museum contains five galleries and two verandahs showcasing antiquities ranging from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE. Its crowning glory is the original Lion Capital of Ashoka, the official National Emblem of India, carved from a single block of polished Chunar sandstone. Other notable exhibits include the monumental standing Buddha from the Gupta period and a rich collection of Bodhisattva figures. The museum provides an essential chronological context to the evolution of Buddhist art and the Mauryan, Kushan, and Gupta empires, making it a cornerstone for any historical tour of Varanasi