Swat Museum is located on Saidu Sharif road at a distance of 1.9km (1.2miles) from Mingora city in Swat Pakistan. Originally, the swat museum was constructed by the Wali of Swat State in 1958 in collaboration with the Italian mission but later it was refurbished in 2011 and 2014.
The museum showcases the over 3000 antique objects of Gandhara sculptures and the excavated Buddha’s life story in Swat.
Museum Address: Saidu Sharif Rd, Mingora, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Museum Visit Timings – Opening Hours:
Wednesday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Thursday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Friday Closed
Saturday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Sunday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Monday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Tuesday 9am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
Tickets: are available at the reception of swat museum
Table of Contents
- 1 The History of Swat Museum
- 2 What is inside the Swat Museum?
- 3 List of Other Museums in Pakistan
- 4 Archaeological and Historical Museums in Pakistan
- 5 Archives in Pakistan
- 6 Art Galleries in Pakistan
- 7 Biographical Museums in Pakistan
- 8 Heritage Museums in Pakistan
- 9 Judicial museums in Pakistan
- 10 Military Museums in Pakistan
- 11 Money Museums in Pakistan
- 12 Natural History Museums in Pakistan
- 13 Science and Technology Museums in Pakistan
- 14 Transport Museums in Pakistan
The History of Swat Museum
An Italian architect, on the demand of Wali of Swat, built the swat museum. The Italians began archeological research in 1955, on a proposal made by the Wali, who was a collector of antiquities.
In the 1990s, the museum was refurbished and the collections received a new presentation, with the help of the Japanese Government.
In 2011 the museum went through refurbishment work and 2014 a new seismic-resistant swat museum was reopened for the general visitors.
What is inside the Swat Museum?
Swat Museum showcases over 3000 objects that reflect the rich history of Swat. The museum contains a large historic collection of locally excavated Gandhara sculptures rearranged and labeled to illustrate the Buddha’s life story.
The ethnography section of the Swat Museum displays the finest examples of local embroidery, carved wood, and swat antiquated jewelry.
List of Other Museums in Pakistan
Archaeological and Historical Museums in Pakistan
Archaeological Museum, Harappa, Sahiwal
Abbott Museum, Abbottabad
Bahawalpur Museum, Bahawalpur
Badshahi mosque Museum, Lahore
Bannu Museum, Bannu
Chitral Museum
City Museum, Gorkhatri, Peshawar
Dir Museum, Chakdara
Hund Museum, Swabi
Kasur Museum, Kasur
Kalasha Dur Museum, Chitral
Lahore Museum, Lahore
Lahore fort Museum, Lahore
Lok Virsa Museum, Islamabad
Lyallpur Museum, Faisalabad
Mardan Museum, Mardan
Mohanjodaro Museum, Larkana
Montgomery Museum, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal
Multan Museum, Multan
National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi
National Museum of Science and Technology, Lahore
National History Museum, Iqbal Park, Lahore
Umar Hayat Mahal Museum, Chiniot
PAF Museum, Karachi
Pakistan Maritime Museum, Karachi
Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad
Peshawar Museum, Peshawar
Pushkalavati Museum, Charsadda
Rohtas fort Museum, Jhelum
Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Museum, University of Peshawer, Peshawer
Archaeological Museum Banbhore
Archaeological Museum Umerkot
Sindh Museum, Hyderabad
Sindhology, Jamshoro
Swat Museum, Saidu Sharif, Swat
Taxila Museum, near Rawalpindi
Thatta Museum, Sindh
Wazir Mansion, Karachi
National History Museum, Lahore
Archives in Pakistan
National Archives of Pakistan, Islamabad
Supreme Court of Pakistan Archives, Islamabad
Sindh Archives Karachi
Art Galleries in Pakistan
Abasin Arts Council, Peshawar
Anarkali tomb Museum, Lahore
Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore
Faisalabad Arts Council, Faisalabad
Fakir Khana, Lahore
Mohatta Palace, Karachi
Multan Arts Council, Multan
National Art Gallery, Islamabad
Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi
Chwkandi Art Gallery Karachi
Rawalpindi Arts Council, Rawalpindi
Vogue Art Gallery, Lahore
Biographical Museums in Pakistan
Allama Iqbal Museum, Lahore
Iqbal Manzil, Sialkot
Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Flag Staff House), Karachi
Wazir Mansion, Karachi
Mazar-e-Quaid Museum, Karachi
Heritage Museums in Pakistan
Chughtai Museum, Lahore
Lok Virsa Museum, Islamabad
Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore
Judicial museums in Pakistan
Lahore High Court Museum, Lahore
Supreme Court Museum, Islamabad
Military Museums in Pakistan
PAF Museum, Karachi
Pakistan Army Museum, Rawalpindi
Pakistan Maritime Museum, Karachi
Police Museum, Karachi
Punjab police Museum, Lahore
Army Museum, Lahore
Money Museums in Pakistan
State Bank of Pakistan Museum & Art Gallery, Karachi
Natural History Museums in Pakistan
Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad
Quetta Geological Museum, Quetta
Natural History Museum, Karachi Zoo, Karachi
Science and Technology Museums in Pakistan
National Museum of Science and Technology, Lahore
Transport Museums in Pakistan
Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum, near Islamabad
As the name suggests, the swat museum illustrates the history of the Swat valley from Gandhara to the modern era. I have visited this museum several times and I am glad that the museum has reopened. It will be good to book a time slot in advance if you have a large group of visitors otherwise there is no need for booking. At the entrance of the Swat museum, you will purchase a ticket that permits you inside the museum gallery.
It is a nice activity to visit the Swat museum when are on your trip Mingora. The museum conveniently on a short walking distance from both Mingora and Saidu Sharif. This is a nice place to spend an hour or two learning about Swat. The ancient object and antique in the museum take you through a timeline of the history of swat valley. Every section of the museum is arranged according to its age it represents. Visiting swat museum is certainly a beautiful journey and unique activity in swat valley.
The Swat museum also has a good variety of valuable objects belonging to the State of Swat which merge with Pakistan in 1969. I highly recommend visiting the museum at least once. you will witness how Swat has evolved from Gandhara and the Buddhist time periods and then went through the age of the State of Swat to the modern age.