Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)
18 days ago
Edward Payson Weston
How the 6-Day Race Became an American Spectator Obsession
20 days ago
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
22 days ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Nepal Kathmandu Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum
AO Edited

Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum

This secluded museum beats the drum for the preservation of Nepal's musical heritage.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Added By
Edward Denny
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
World’s largest and smallest saarangi.   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Nepal's more than 100 distinct ethnic groups have produced over 1,300 different designs of musical instruments, a fact that struck a chord with Ram Prasad Kadel who began collecting Nepali instruments in 1995. Today, he showcases a significant portion of his impressive collection of some 650 instruments in a museum he opened in 2002.

Although Kadel is not a musician himself, he is dedicated to telling the story of Nepal's musical traditions in a sustainable way. A key element to building his collection is that he has not removed playable instruments from the 77 districts he has visited in Nepal, preferring to purchase decommissioned instruments or have local artisans craft new models. 

To avoid overwhelming his guests with the scale of his collection, Kadel breaks down his tour into nine categories of instruments. One notable example stands at the museum's entrance, where visitors are met by an astonishingly large saarangi, an iconic traditional stringed Nepali instrument. It's believed to be the world's largest saarangi. Many of the instrument's shapes and sounds are inspired by the natural surroundings of Nepali. 

Although many of the instruments are preserved behind glass, some are displayed openly and Kadel often showcases their sounds. A serpentine trumpet known as a naagbell is a favorite of school groups. Other instruments are available for professional musicians to play, and Kadel regularly invites performers to give public concerts and make recordings as part of his mission to preserve Nepal's musical heritage.  

Fittingly, the museum is housed in the Tripureshwor Mahadev Temple complex, a towering cultural landmark. Located near the banks of the Bagmati River, it was built in 1818 by the impressively talented Queen Tripurasundari in memory of her deceased husband, King Rana Bahadur Shah. 

With three tiers, the temple is considered the largest in Kathmandu and is brimming with exceptional artistry, craftsmanship, and cultural relics.

The Atlas Obscura Podcast is a short, daily celebration of all the world's strange and wondrous places. Check out this episode about the Music Museum of Nepal.

Related Tags

Music History History & Culture Artifacts Museums

Know Before You Go

The temple complex is currently undergoing renovations from the 2015 earthquake. It's best to call ahead before visiting or email Kadel at lokbaja@gmail.com to make sure the museum is open.  

Community Contributors

Added By

Edward Denny

Published

November 25, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Musical Instruments of Nepal by Ram Prasad Kadel
  • https://globalvoices.org/2019/08/15/nepals-only-folk-musical-instrument-museum-is-struggling-to-save-the-rare-instruments/
Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum
Tripura Marg
Kathmandu, 44600
Nepal
27.692901, 85.314433
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Maitighar Mandala

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Thapathali Durbar Temple

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Kumari Ghar

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Nepal

Places 19
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Maitighar Mandala

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Thapathali Durbar Temple

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Kumari Ghar

Kathmandu, Nepal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Nepal

Places 19
Stories 3

Related Stories and Lists

Take a Podcast Tour of Some of the World's Most Unusual Museums

cryptozoology

By April White

Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum

Podcast

By The Podcast Team

Related Places

  • Savannah, Georgia

    WEBB Military Museum

    At this privately owned collection, conflicts are humanized through soldiers’ personal belongings.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Manjira

    Meknes, Morocco

    Dar Jamai Museum

    A museum dedicated to the musical instruments used in traditional Moroccan music.

  • Saddles on display.

    Galveston, Texas

    Bryan Museum

    One of the largest historical collections on Texas and the American West.

  • The living history museum El Rancho de Las Golondrinas.

    Santa Fe, New Mexico

    El Rancho de Las Golondrinas

    Step back in time at an outdoor living history museum where New Mexico's cultural traditions come alive.

  • The 7,000-square-foot Museo del Vaquero de las Californias explores more  than 300 years of vaquero history in the Californias.

    El Triunfo, Mexico

    Museo del Vaquero de Las Californias

    This bilingual museum explores the more than 300 years of vaquero history.

  • Brun, Pakistan

    Kalasha Dur Museum

    The rich cultural heritage of the Kalasha people is on display in this state-of-the-art museum.

  • People’s History Museum

    Manchester, England

    People’s History Museum

    One of Manchester’s museums has gathered and preserved British political paraphernalia covering over 200 years.

  • Tableau depicting “The Legends of Dilmun”

    Manama, Bahrain

    The Legends of Dilmun

    Is this amazing tableau depicting Gilgamesh and Enki 4,000 years old?

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.