Museums in Islamabad ( Islamabad Travel Guide ), Pakistan

Museums in Islamabad: This is A Guide to Cultural, Religious, Ethnic, and Art history of Pakistan. From a tourist's point of view, it is very essential to know about the history of the country or city they are visiting. Islamabad being the capital of the country has amazing museums that help visitors to have a look at historic events, Personalities, and old civilizations. Here in this article, we are giving you an insight into what museums you can visit in Islamabad?

1. Lok-Virsa Museum

Pakistan national museum of  Ethnology (heritage museum) commonly known as Lok -Virsa museum was established in 1982. It covers an area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. In 2004, It was renamed a heritage museum.

The Heritage Museum has different galleries to depict different ethnicities, cultures, and religions present in the country. The primary purpose of this museum is to educate its tourists and future generations of Pakistan about the history, traditions, and different cultures of the country.

The heritage museum portrays the culture of the provinces of Pakistan. It also represents the historically significant civilizations, like Mohan jo Daro and Gandhara. This museum has different art galleries and shows different aspects of the country. Famous love stories like heer ranjha, Dhola Maru, and Haani Shah Muree, are also depicted by making statues and different artworks.

Lok Virsa museum renders different types of clothes, jewellery, metalwork, and woodwork from different cultures. Virsa museums also show different aspects of the religions like Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Christianity present in Pakistan.

Virsa museum also has a library that has different books on the culture, religion, and history of the country. Virsa media center focuses on cultural music by local artists. When you visit this museum you will see a group of musicians performing some cultural folk songs.

2. Pakistan Monument Museum

As the name suggests this museum shows the history of Pakistan,  pre, and post-independence.At the entrance, the Pakistan monument museum has pictures of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) and Allama Muhammad Iqbal (poet and thinker ), and other great heroes.

Pakistani currency, stamps and other important information related to the country are displayed in this museum. This museums also has beautiful statues of Quaid e Azam and a great female political leader Fatima Jinnah .

This is an exemplary place if an individual is interested to know about the military,polictal history, and leaders of Pakistan. This museum has a special theater room that shows movies related to struggles during the partition time in 1947.

3. Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum

Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum is located at Golra Shareef railway station. This museum shows old tools , weapons, and other communication tools used by railway stations in the British era. It also has a gallery that depicts the British era, and post Independence history of Pakistan. This museum has a special display of the things related to railways like old engines and miniature engines.

Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum also has two old railway boogies. This museum represents an old Britishtish era railway station. There are 4 different types of train model set up to show visitors a classic look of pre 1947 railway station.

4. Pakistan Museum of Natural History

Pakistan Museum of Natural History museum was established in 1976. This museum gives an insight into the ecology, geology, and paleontology of Pakistan. This museum gives a great idea about animals, insects, fossils, habitats, and environmental problems of Pakistan.At the entrance, there is a large skeleton of a blue whale. This blue whale was found in Pasni Balochistan in 1967.

This place has animal sculptures and big structures of bones of different animals like elephants and blue whales. Information related to species and their conservation and extinction in different places of the country is written on the play cards along with specimens on the glass shelves.

5. Pakistan National council of Arts

This is a great place to visit to understand the performing arts, visual arts, and film and music industries of Pakistan. This art gallery arranges many art festivals and art exhibitions. There are beautiful paintings and art crafts displayed in this gallery.

Different events are held to memorize the great musicians and artists from history like Noor Jahan (great singer ), Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan(legendary singer recognized on a universal level), and Abdur Rahman Chughta (Painter). Young talent is promoted to attend different classes and seminars related to art and music.