Folk Heritage Museum is 10 minutes car drive. It is located in the Kawajangsa area of Thimphu. The Folk Heritage Museum is within walking distance of the National Institute for “Zorig Choesum” (13 Traditional Arts) or Painting School. Once you come to this area you can also visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicines or Indigenous Hospital. A lot of Handicrafts shops are also nearby.
The main purpose of the Museum is to connect people and show the rich Bhutanese rural history by showcasing different products. You can see live demonstrations, educational programs, and documentation of Bhutanese rural life. The Museum will preserve the culture throughout the generations of Bhutanese society.
Folk Heritage Museum or “Phelchey Toenkhyim” was established on July 28th, 2001. It was established by the Queen Mother of Bhutan, Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The building structure is more than 150 years old. It was set in the core area of Thimphu city with a rural way of life including paddy, wheat, and millet fields.
Before reaching the main structure you can see a traditional water mill generated by the strong stream. The grinding equipment is made from large flat stones. You can see also kitchen gardens with organic vegetables grown live. Other rural Bhutanese habits of dipping into the traditional hot stone bath. Fruit trees like apples, peaches, and plums are grown around the area.
A visit to the Folk Heritage Museum is a unique experience because the principal exhibit of the museum itself is a restored three-storied, traditional rammed mud and timber house dating back to the mid-19th century. The form and the design of the house are that of a conventional; household in the Wang area of that era.
There are two exit points after visiting the main structure. One way led to the Folk Heritage Restaurant and another one to the Folk Heritage Museum shop.
You can get one will see a handmade machine to extract Mustard oil. Mustard oil is the main edible oil in Bhutan. Mustard seeds are first roasted before being pounded and steamed. The hot mustard seeds are then immediately put in the strong basket which is placed on a circular wooden grove and pressed by a wooden leveler. The oil that is squeezed from the basket flows into the wooden groove and is collected in an earthen pot.
The second exit point leads one to the Folk Heritage Museum shop where various items for sale include books, postcards, masks, traditional Bhutanese clothing, woven baskets, carved wooden bowls, and other craft items. Many of these items are replicas of artifacts found in the Museum and are only available for purchase from the Museum and finally the copies of the Folk Heritage Museum book.
The ground floor starts with a wooden door before entering the ground floor. You can see a small stone courtyard used to store firewood, farming equipment, and grain. You can see also an incense burner on the ground floor for the burning of incense. The main purpose is to offer to the protective deities and still Bhutanese practice. The ground floor is meant for keeping farm animals because of the severe cold during winter.
The next two levels of floors are accessible through wooden stiff stairs. Visitors should take care of their heads while climbing the stairs. The second floor is used for storing grain and food.
The third floor is for the family’s living room and dining area. This is the only level of the homestead with heating, generated by a wood-fired stove set against an external wall in the separate kitchen area. Adjoining the kitchen is a living area and also where the entire, often large, family would have slept.
The attic floor is meant for the circulation of air, where unwanted items and wanted items are kept. Due to strong wind, the attic is closed from all sides. You can climb the attic with a wooden ladder kept aside.
The Folk Heritage Museum is open throughout the week except on government holidays. The Folk Heritage Museum will consider opening the museum upon prior notification during government holidays
Summer timing from April to October 9:15 am to 5 pm
Winter timing to visit from November to March 9:15 am to 4 pm
Weekends – Sa 10 am to 4 pm (Winter timing)
Local Nu. 10
Indian Tourist Nu. 50
Foreigners Nu. 200
Bhutanese students, Monk, Nuns, and children under 10 yrs free
It is forbidden to take pictures and video recordings in the Museum. The public can take pictures outside the museum premises. The artifacts inside the Museum are important historical treasures. They are very old, and some are quite rare. Touching the artifacts also increases the risk of breaking them.
Folk heritage museum restaurant in Thimphu will provide you with organic Bhutanese cuisine if you are in love with Bhutanese Food. The folk heritage museum restaurant is inside the compound of the Museum. Try to order your lunch and book the table before you start visiting the Museum. They serve you good food from Bhutan. Don’t miss the lunch.