Taragaon Museum

The Taragaon Museum is a private art museum and library located in Kathmandu. It is located in the northern part of the city near the Bouddhanath stupa.[1] It is situated on the ground of the Taragaon Regency hotel, which owns the museum. The museum is supported by The Saraf Foundation. The museum features a permanent collection in three of its building alongside Bodhisattva Gallery that displays Newa art, Pathivara Gallery that displays thangka paintings, and a contemporary art gallery.[2]

The Taragaon Museum
तारागाउँ सङ्ग्रहालय
Logo of the museum
The pod-style structure of buildings were originally a hostel for artists,writers and scholars
Established2014 (2014)
LocationBoudha, Kathmandu, Nepal
Coordinates27.72048054°N 85.356247°E / 27.72048054; 85.356247
TypeArt museum
DirectorRoshan Mishra
CuratorNiels Gutschow
ArchitectCarl Pruscha
OwnerTaragaon Regency Hotel
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The Austrian-style brick structure was built as a hostel for artists and scientist in 1970s. Nepal started permitting foreign visitors in 1950s. The hostel was built to reflect the "Nepaliness" to the visitors. The land in which the hostel stands was acquired by His Majesty’s Government in 1969. The land was transferred to the Nepal Women’s Association. In 1970, Angur Baba Joshi, a prominent Nepalese scholar met Austrian architect Carl Pruscha, who served as a UN and UNESCO consultant to the Nepalese government. She then commissioned him to design the hostel. Joshi wanted to create a cultural village for artists in Nepal.[3] The construction began in 1974 and the entire complex was inaugurated on the 25 September 1974, in the presence of Queen Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah. The style of the structure is a combination of Nepalese and Pruscha's European modernist architecture.[4]

In 1990 the Nepal Women’s Association was abolished after the restoration of democracy in Nepal. In 1997, the hostel was abandoned. The property was later acquired by Arun Saraf, the owner of the adjacent Hyatt hotel. It was then renovated into a museum.

Exhibits

The museum covers an are of 35,000 sq. feet.[5] The museum exhibits 18th and 19th century photographs, watercolors and engravings, artist sketches, maps, plans, drawings and various other documentations in its permanent collection.[6] Besides its permanent collection, the Museum also has a Contemporary Art Gallery, Event Hall and two outdoor Amphitheaters.[7]

Events

The museum host various art related events and festivals.[8] The museum campus is also used for book release events and musical performance. The museum was one of the host of Kathmandu Triennale 2077 alongside Patan Museum, Bahadur Shah Baithak, Nepal Art Council and Siddhartha Art Gallery.[9]

See also

References
  1. "10 Architectural Treasures to Visit in Nepal". Architectural Digest. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  2. Shrestha, Elvin L. "Kathmandu's newest museum documents its recent past | Nepali Times Buzz | Nepali Times". archive.nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  3. "Carl Pruscha, an Architect Investigating Overlooked Territories". ArchDaily. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  4. "Taragaon Museum". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  5. "Top 10 museums in Kathmandu you must visit this weekend". 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  6. "New home for contemporary art at Taragaon Museum". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  7. "The Taragaon Museum". taragaonmuseum.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  8. समयपोष्ट. "अन्नपूर्ण आधार क्षेत्रका दृश्य कलामा". samayapost. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  9. "The highs and lows of Kathmandu Triennale". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
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