Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum 

The Bodh Gaya archaeological Museum displays collection of Buddhist sculpture from the 1st century BC to the 11 century AD. This museum has plenty of relics recovered from the old temple and several other objects excavated from the site. Most of the original sculptured pillars that formed the railing around the Mahabodhi Temple can be seen here . Other attractions are Ratnagar, Animeshlochan, Chaiyata, Tibetan Monastery, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, The Burmese Temple, The Chinese Temple & Monastery 

Jalan museum or Quila House is constructed at the site of Sher Shah’s Fort, in Patna. It houses a rich private collection of jade, Chinese porcelain, paintings and silver filigree work of the Mughal period. It being a private collection, prior permission is required to visit the museum. 

Ninety kilometres south of Patna lies Nalanda, the historic Buddhist site, wherein is located the Nalanda Archaeological Museum. The museum, established in 1915, has a beautiful collection of Buddhist and Hindu bronzes and a number of undamaged statues of lord Buddha .Two enormous terracotta jars of first century stand intact in the museum. 

The museum has a magnificent collection of Pala and Mauryan statues, bronzes and manuscripts. The displayed antiquities portray the spiritual and meditative principles of Buddhism, especially as it must have existed at Nalanda. 

Patna Museum

The Patna Museum is within walking distance from the Indira Gandhi Planetorium. The museum though faded and run down, has a splendid collection of sculptures. Among its most famous pieces is a polished sandstone female attendant or yakshi, holding a flying-whisk, found at Didarganj and dating from the 3rd century. 

Some Jain images from the Kushana period, and a collection of Buddhist Bodhisattvas from the Gandhara region in the northwest Pakistan, belong to the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. Natural history exhibits feature several stuffed animals, including a few freaks and a gigantic fossilized tree thought to be 200 million years old. The museum also houses Chinese art, and the second floor is devoted to some superb Tibetan ‘thangkas’ i.e., scroll paintings are stored, which desperately need to be restored. 

The museum contains a First World War cannon, metal and stone sculpture of Maurya and Gupta periods.

The museum is open from 10 AM uptil 4.30 PM, on all days except Monday.