The International Mountain Museum (IMM) is a one of a kind museum, which is located at the gateway of mountain range in Ratna Paira, Gairi Patan Pokhara. It is spread in an area of 100 Ropanies (5.10 Hectares, 12.58 Acres) where collection, documentation and display of the natural history and culture of the Himalayas and the world mountains are orchestrated in a pristine way.Currently, it is run under the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) with the theme to raise awareness about mountains and its overall habitat.
The museum was first opened in May 29, 2002 by the famous climbers Junko Tabei and Appa Sherpa, graced by the then Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. where as the Grand Opening was done in February 05, 2004 by the present Prime Minister of the time Surya Bahadur Thapa.
Basically, the museum is categorized in four sections.
1. Mountain People Gallery: This gallery gives brief introduction of the customs, traditions, heritage, culture and life style of mountain people. It is divided into two sub sections Mountain people of Nepal and Mountain People of the world. A. The mountain people of Nepal section: This segment focuses on the customs, traditions and cultures of the mountain people of Nepal. Similarly, it’s also focuses on their dresses, ornaments, musical instruments, household utilities and other cultural activities.
B: The Mountain people of the world section: This segment focuses on the cultural and traditional aspect of people living in countries like Taiwan, Slovenia, and Japan. Moreover, this section also exhibits photographs of people living in the Alpine Mountains of Europe from the past 50yrs.
2. World Mountain Gallery: This gallery holds the geological facts about the origin of world mountain system, highest summits, geological information, flora and fauna of the Himalayan region, research on mountain etc. This section is also divided into fours sub section like Mountain section, Geological section, Flora and fauna section and Corner of dedication
3. Mountain Activities Gallery: This section is dedicated to mountaineers as it holds the presences of equipment of different world famous mountaineers, their cloths and photographs of the different expedition at different intervals of times. It also displays the development of the climbing gears and required equipments for mountaineering, climbing and other mountain activities.
4. Associates' Gallery: Focusing developments of the different local NGOS and INGOS at the Himalayan region, this section focuses on the development work performed by different agencies like ACAP, ICIMOD, IUCN, WWF etc.
The museum is equipped with various amenities of modern day technology in facilitating the need of the work group; like such it encompasses a conference hall with a capacity of 150 people, an Audio Visual hall, mountain viewing platform, ramps and other necessary equipments.
The IMM is an educational center for research on anthropology, sociology, mountaineers, ecology for the researchers, tourists, students and general public which serves in giving knowledge for people where it gives a new perspective to see the growing trend of mountaineering and the civilization.
Compiled by Shreedeep Rayamajhi
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