Annapurna Butterfly Museum | Pokhara

Information

Landmark: Annapurna Butterfly Museum
City: Pokhara
Country: Nepal
Continent: Asia

Annapurna Butterfly Museum, Pokhara, Nepal, Asia

The Annapurna Butterfly Museum (also known as the Annapurna Museum) is a specialized natural history museum located within the Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara, Nepal. It houses a comprehensive collection of butterfly species found across Nepal.

Visual Characteristics

The museum is housed in a single-story, traditional-style building on the university campus. The interior is characterized by wooden display cases containing thousands of pinned butterfly specimens. The collection is arranged systematically to show variations in size, color, and pattern. While the facility is modest in size, it is densely packed with biological data and preserved specimens.

Location & Access Logistics

The museum is located at Prithvi Narayan Campus, Road, Pokhara 33700. It is approximately 4km northeast of the Lakeside district and 2km north of the main city center (Mahendra Pool). Access is via taxi or local bus. Visitors enter through the main campus gate; the museum is a short walk from the university's entrance.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The museum was established in 1965 by the late Dorothy Mierow, an American educator and naturalist. It was created to document the immense lepidopteran diversity of Nepal, which hosts over 650 species of butterflies due to its extreme altitudinal variations. The collection serves as a critical resource for entomologists and environmental researchers.

Key Highlights & Activities

Butterfly Collection: Viewing nearly all of the 660+ butterfly species found in Nepal, including the rare Kaiser-i-Hind and the Atlas Moth.

Geological Displays: The museum also contains a collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils found in the Himalayas.

Flora and Fauna Exhibits: Displays of local bird species and information on the diverse ecosystems of the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Educational Resource: Study of butterfly life cycles and their roles as environmental indicators in the Himalayan region.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The museum is a quiet, academic facility with basic infrastructure. It includes the display hall and a small administrative office. Public restrooms are available within the university campus. 4G cellular coverage is stable. The museum maintains a low-commercial atmosphere, focusing primarily on preservation and education.

Best Time to Visit

The museum is open Sunday to Friday, 10:00 to 16:00, and is closed on Saturdays. It is an ideal visit for students, researchers, and nature enthusiasts. Because it is an indoor facility, it is suitable for visiting during the monsoon season or during midday when temperatures are high.

Facts & Legends

The museum contains specimens that are now increasingly rare in the wild due to habitat loss and climate change. It is often cited as one of the most complete butterfly collections in South Asia. Its founder, Dorothy Mierow, is also credited with significant contributions to the early documentation of Pokhara's natural history.