Buddha Museum

The reception hall located at the eastern corner of the Shwedagon Pagoda precinct was the first museum. Initially, this hall was used to store various valuable artifacts, such as golden items that should not be melted down, Myanmar traditional arts and crafts, and ancient relics donated over generations. Up until around 1970, this hall served as the repository. At that time, there was no separate museum for the Shwedagon Pagoda. As the number of stored items increased, the need for a separate museum became apparent. In 1976, plans for constructing a dedicated museum were drafted, leading to the construction of a grand museum. This reception hall is currently used as the ancient Buddha statue exhibition hall of the Shwedagon Pagoda. The museum exhibits various Myanmar traditional arts and crafts, valuable ancient items, and ancient Buddha statues for the public to explore and appreciate. As the collection of exhibits, including five major Buddha statues, grew over time, the museum began to resemble a storage room rather than a proper exhibition space. In 1986, the Board of Trustees, in consultation with experts, initiated plans to expand and build a new museum. However, these plans did not come to fruition. In 1989, the state led three major projects related to the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of which included constructing the Shwedagon Pagoda Museum, the Pitaka Library, and the Archives. Construction began on October 14, 1989, and was completed and opened on July 14, 1992. The building design was drafted by architects from the Public Works Department, and the construction was carried out by the Ministry of Industry No. 2. In 2013, the state led the formation of various committees to upgrade and enhance the Buddha Museum.
The museum is located adjacent to the northern precinct of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Originally, the top floor served as the main museum, the middle floor housed the Pitaka Library, and the ground floor functioned as the Archives. The three-story building was opened as the Museum, Pitaka Library, and Archives on July 14, 1992. In 2013, plans to upgrade the entire building to function solely as the Buddha Museum led to the relocation of the Pitaka Library on the middle floor to Daw Hla Sin Pitaka Library on Arzarni Road, and the Archives on the ground floor to U Ohn Khin (Pyapon) Pitaka Library. The entire building was renovated and reopened as the Buddha Museum on March 18, 2016.
The Buddha Museum displays various religious items, artifacts related to the Buddhist religion, traditional Myanmar cultural items, and rare and ancient artistic pieces for public viewing.