Patna’s Bihar Museum has been ranked ninth on the “World’s 100 Best Museums 2026” list, placing it ahead of prominent institutions including New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Paris’s Louvre. Published by Munich-based travel guide Worth a Journey, the ranking also names Bihar Museum the highest-ranked museum in Asia and the only Indian museum in the top 100.
The recognition has drawn attention to the decade-old institution and its collection of artefacts tracing Bihar’s history across centuries.
Bihar Museum Ranks Ninth in Global List
Worth a Journey’s 2026 ranking places Bihar Museum at number nine globally. The list is based on visitor reviews, data analytics and expert evaluations conducted on site, according to reports.
The ranking puts the Patna museum ahead of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is placed tenth. The Louvre in Paris is ranked 31st. Bihar Museum is the only Asian institution in the top 10 and the only museum from India to appear in the top 100.
Collection Spans Ancient History to the Modern Era
The museum’s galleries cover Bihar’s history from prehistoric times through the year 1764. Its collection includes sculptures, coins, manuscripts, folk art and other historical objects.
One of its best-known exhibits is the Didarganj Yakshi, a life-sized sculpture carved from polished Chunar sandstone and believed to be around 2,000 years old. The museum also houses the Kurkihar bronzes, prehistoric stone tools and a Kushan-period slab depicting the birth of the Buddha.
Museum Designed by Japanese Architect
Opened in 2015, Bihar Museum occupies a 13.9-acre campus in Patna. The building was designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, a Pritzker Prize laureate, in collaboration with Studio Opolis, an architecture practice based in Mumbai and Pune.
Its galleries are arranged chronologically, with dedicated spaces including a Children’s Gallery and a Diaspora Gallery exploring Bihar’s history, culture and connections beyond the state.
Recognition Could Raise Profile of Indian Museums
The ranking has been welcomed as a significant recognition for Bihar’s cultural institution. Industrialist Anand Mahindra described the result as a “seminal moment of recognition” and said it could help raise expectations for museum experiences in India.
The ranking places Bihar Museum among globally recognised institutions, though it reflects the methodology and criteria used by Worth a Journey rather than a universal measure of museum quality.
