After establishing the Myanmar Epigriphic Office, the work of  Preservation, Conservation and Restoration of ancient monuments in Bagan was carried out. In 1902, Mr. Taw Sein Ko, Superintendent of the Epigraphic offie, built a museum to the north of Ananda Temple, in which cultural antiquities, stone inscriptions and archaeological objects collected around Bagan were displayed. It was around Bagan were displayed. It was inaugurated in 1904. Besides, within 60 years of its existence, the museum had acquired an abundance of artifacts and antiquities, which could no longer accommodate under its shelter. Therefore, on a site of 8.16 acres (3.1 hectare) to the south of Gawdawpalin Temple within old Bagan, a modern museum was built. It was an octagonal structure in which ancient artistic objects were displayed and three sheds where stone inscriptions, stone sculptures and other archaeological finds of  large size were exhibited. It was inaugurated on 1st October 1979.

Year by year, foreigners coming to Bagan increased and to show collections of  cultural Antique, more magnificiently, it is necessary to establish a new museum. Therefore, early in 1995, three sheds were demolished, left the octagonal structure, a new significant standardized museum was constructed. It was inaugurated on 17th April 1998.

This new museum adorned with Myanmar decorative arts – stucco, wood carving of floral design, Shwezawa lacquer work and tapestry.

Bagan Archaeological Museum is a three-storey building. On the ground floor, there are five large display rooms. They are
1.    Principal Chamber or Special display room
2.    The arts and Crafts of Bagan period
3.    The evolution of Myanmar alphabets and Bagan epigraphy.
4.    Paintings of social and military aspects of Bagan period.
5.    Architecture of Bagan

There are four large display rooms on the first floor. They are.
1.    Gallery of paintings presenting pagodas and monuments of Bagan period.
2.    Gallery of Mural paintings Bagan period.
3.    Buddhist Art of Bagan period
4.    Buddhist iconography of Bagan period.

On the ground floor, principal chamber or special display room adorned with Myanmar decorative arts. Imposing lacquered. Columns and layers of high ceiling embellished with shwezawa lacqucered plaques, tapestry, woodcut, woodcarving and stucco bespeak the artistic grandeur of the room.

In the centre of the principal chamber are archaeological objects of artistic value such as heads of Gotama Buddha and his disciples made of sand stone sculptures on sand stone presenting eight major events in the life of Gotama Buddha.

Bronze statues of four famous kings of Bagan period namely. Anawrahta, Kyansittha, Alaugsithu and Kyaswa, cast in modern time, and two duplicates of king kyansittha’s royal order (eastern covered causeway of Shwezigon).

Bagan era arts and crafts display room displays not only arts and crafts of Bagan era but also objects of palaeontology, such as fossils of prehistoric ages, artifacts of stone Ages and Bronze Age. Cloth painting of 12th century A.D (Jataka No 96/ Selaputta Jataka) and Hindu Brahman istic locnographical objects.

The evolution of Myanmar alphabets and Bagan epigraphy display room displays the original Myazedi stone inscription in four languages, Pali, Pyu, Mon and Myanmar, a big chart showing the origin and evolution of Myanmar alphabets, the pali letters from gold plates excavated from Khin Bamound at Hmawza and Maung Kan Inscriptions on stone, brick, terra cotta tablets, ink writings on walls, inscription on lead plates, Inscriptions on wooden plate, inscription on palm leaf and clay seals, copies of king Kyansittha’s stone inscription in old Mon recording the building of his palace and his royal orders in Mon and Myanmar translation.

The social and Military aspects of Bagan period room displays paintings by Myanmar artists paintings depicting the social life and military matters of old Bagan. In addition model of weapons used in the battles of Bagan’s time as presented in the frescoes in ancient monuments.

A relic casket found at Lawkananda Pagoda

The Bagan Architecture room displays models of some ancient religious edifices built in the early days of Buddha Sasana at Bagan. They represent some of many varieties – such as Bupaya, Lokananda zedi, Sapada zedi, Maha Bodhi Temple, Ananda Temple, Laymyethna Okkyaung, Thatbyinnya Temple, Dhammayangyi Temple, Kyaukgu Unin and Pitaka Taik. Each model is presented with a brief account of its background history. There are charts illustrating drawings and designs of ancient pagodas and monuments of diverse size and shape found within the Bagan area. Different designs of arches of Bagan Temple are also explained by drawings on the charts.

In the centre of the room is a large relief map of Bagan  Archaeological Zone on which are located prominent ancient buildings with references.

On the first floor, Gallery of painting of pagodas and monuments room displays the paintings presenting ancient pagodas and monuments at old Bagan before restoration. Ground plan and the plausible design which will reveal on restoration are sketched.

A Buddha image carved from a white stone

The Gallery of Mural paintings of Bagan period room displays copies of mural paintings from ancient temples of Bagan period between 11th and 13th century. In this room is exhibited a Buddha statue (2 feet 4 inches) of 11th century AD, standing on a lotus motif pedestal. It is a rare object of antiquity cast in alloy called Pyinsa Loha meaning five metals compounded (gold, silver, bronze, tin and lead). In 1972 the statue was discovered in the estern side of the Sikara of Nagayon pagoda at Singu village, Bagan Nyaung U Township.

Next to this statue, is a statue of sitting Buddha of solid god which was discovered from the debris when Saw Min Latt pagoda to the North of Ananda Temple was restored.

The Buddhist Art of Bagan period room displays Buddha images and statues and Buddha images and statues and Buddhist art in different art forms made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood.

Two unique and skillfully crafted masterpieces exhibited in this room are (1) a stone sculpture and (2) a bronze sculpture. The stone sculpture was executed skillfully on a dolomite slab presenting eight major events of the Buddha’s life. The bronze sculpture is a lotus bud belonging to the 11th century A.D.

There is yet another Buddha statue (3 feet 8 inches) of pyinsaloha alloy belonging to the 11th century A.D. Formerly it was kept in the temple of Pasittok pagoda at old Bagan.

The Buddhist iconography of Bagan period display room displays not only Buddha images and statues of Bagan period but also those of later periods found in Bagan area. They are arranged in a chronological order. Images and statues are made of different materials bronze, stone, wood, lacquer etc.

Bagan Archaeological Museum is quite a threshold of significant, the Myanmar arts and cultural artifacts are full and nearly complete.

When you are in Bagan, besides paying respect to the pagodas, paying a visit to the Bagan Archaeological Museum is also worthwhile.


Reference
1. Glimpses of Glorious Bagan, Jan 1996, by The Universities Historical Research Centre