Ethnological Museum

About Ethnological Museum

The Ethnological Museum is one of the few museums in the region dedicated entirely to ethnology. Its galleries introduce the many Indigenous communities of Bangladesh, from the Chakma, Marma, Tripura and Mro of the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the Santal, Garo and others of the north.

Displays of clothing, jewellery, weaving, musical instruments, tools, weapons and models of houses show how each group lives, farms and celebrates. Dioramas with life-size figures bring scenes of village life to the room. A few exhibits also look at peoples from neighbouring countries.

The museum is modest and some displays are dated, but it gives real context to a country that is often described as having just one culture. It is especially useful if you plan to continue to Rangamati or Bandarban. Evergreen Bangladesh Tours can include it on private tours of Chittagong; it combines easily with the Central Railway Building or Fishery Ghat.

Getting there

From central Chittagong: 10 to 20 minutes by car or CNG auto-rickshaw to Agrabad.

From Dhaka: fly or take the train to Chittagong, then continue by car.

Where to stay

Agrabad has several of the city’s business hotels, a short walk or drive from the museum.