The Lumbini Museum, located inside the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Scared Garden area in Lumbini, is designed to show the significance of the site as the birthplace of Buddha. It was designed by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. This is a significant example of India and Nepal’s shared cultural heritage. Akashvani’s correspondent from Nepal reports that the Lumbini Museum features artefacts and earthenware from the 1st century. The statues and other artworks in the museum show important Buddhist iconography.

There are traditional dresses and ceremonial items on display, which are associated with the history and culture that have emanated from Lumbini. This is a contemporary museum dedicated to the Buddha and his Birthplace, aimed to elevate the experience of Nepal’s sacred site. In 2023, Lumbini Museum received approximately 1.2 million visitors. The largest number of tourists in Nepal are coming from India. The number of visitors to the museum is expected to increase after the functioning of the Gautam Buddha International Airport, which has improved access to the area.

As a development partner of Nepal, India offered a grant of Rs 5.9 cr for the Construction of a Museum Building at Lumbini, which was inaugurated by then Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs of India Rao Inderjit Singh on 30th November 2004. Buddhism is a cultural and spiritual shared heritage between two neighbours, which is strengthened by infrastructure projects like the Lumbini Museum.